Junior Counsel Salary in the United States

How much does a Junior Counsel make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Junior Counsel in the United States is $91,560 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $44.

However, a Junior Counsel's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $109,264
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $83,728 to $100,827
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $76,598
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View as table View as graph 25% $83,728 10% $76,598 90% $109,264 75% $100,827 $91,560 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Junior Counsel Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $100,827 $8,402 $1,939 $48
Average $91,560 $7,630 $1,761 $44
25th Percentile $83,728 $6,977 $1,610 $40
Check out Junior Counsel Job Openings in the United States
Criminal Defense Attorney Indigent

Office of Criminal Conflict & Civil Regional Counsel, 4th DCA Region - WEST PALM BEACH, FL

Labor&Employment Attorney

O'Hagan Meyer - LOS ANGELES, CA

Litigation Counsel

Spencer Reed Group - WICHITA, KS

Attorney Defense of Indigent Parents

Office of Criminal Conflict & Civil Regional Counsel, 4th DCA Region - WEST PALM BEACH, FL

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Key Factors That Influence Junior Counsel Salaries

A Junior Counsel's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Junior Counsel Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Junior Counsel's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $89,385
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $89,711
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $90,472
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $91,343
  • Expert (over 8 years): $92,405
Levels Salary
Entry Level Junior Counsel$89,385
Intermediate Level Junior Counsel$89,711
Senior Level Junior Counsel$90,472
Specialist Level Junior Counsel$91,343
Expert Level Junior Counsel$92,405
$89,385 0 yr
$89,711 < 2 yrs
$90,472 2-4 yrs
$91,343 5-8 yrs
$92,405 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Junior Counsel Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Junior Counsels. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $101,375.
  • California: $100,991.
  • Massachusetts: $99,645.

Top Paying Cities for Junior Counsels

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $115,485
  • San Francisco: $114,350
  • Oakland: $111,813

What Skills Can Increase a Junior Counsel's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 11.41% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Lean Manufacturing (Mentioned in 2.83% Job Postings): Lean manufacturing or lean production is a systematic method originating in the Japanese manufacturing industry for the minimization of waste (無駄, muda) within a manufacturing system without sacrificing productivity, which can cause problems. Lean also takes into account waste created through overburden (無理, muri) and unevenness in work loads (斑, mura). Working from the perspective of the client who consumes a product or service, "value" is any action or process that a customer would be willing to pay for.[citation needed] Lean manufacturing attempts to make obvious what adds value, through reducing everything else (because it is not adding value). This management philosophy is derived mostly from the Toyota Production System (TPS) and identified as "lean" only in the 1990s.[page needed], TPS is renowned for its focus on reduction of the original Toyota seven wastes to improve overall customer value, but there are varying perspectives on how this is best achieved. The steady growth of Toyota, from a small company to the world's largest automaker, has focused attention on how it has achieved this success.
  • Quality Control (Mentioned in 1.6% Job Postings): Developing and implementing a set of procedures intended to maintain the quality of a product and reduce any risks or errors.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 11.41%
Lean Manufacturing 2.83%
Quality Control 1.6%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Junior Counsel's salary.
  • Decision Making: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Six Sigma: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Quality Control: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Decision Making
$96,138
5%
Six Sigma
$95,223
4%
Quality Control
$95,223
4%
ISO
$94,307
3%
Manufacturing Operations
$94,307
3%
Written Communication
$94,307
3%
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How Education impacts a Junior Counsel's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Junior Counsels enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Junior Counsel with a Associate's Degree is between $93,838 and $100,884).

Junior Counsel Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Junior Counsel
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.3%
High School 34.0%
Associates 17.3%
Bachelors 36.8%
Masters 10.5%
Doctorate 0.3%
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Junior Counsel Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Junior Counsel's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Junior Counsel

Salaries for a Junior Counsel can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $85,897 in 2023 to around $84,276 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Junior Counsel salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Junior Counsel Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$85,897
2024
$85,137
2025
$84,276
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $85,897
2024 $85,137
2025 $84,276
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Junior Counsel

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Junior Counsel

Here are companies hiring for Junior Counsel and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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