Public Defender Salary in Wisconsin

How much does a Public Defender make in WI?

As of March 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Public Defender in Wisconsin is $104,587. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $90,103 to $121,212, with most professionals earning between $76,916 and $136,347.

View Minimum Wage Values in Wisconsin

Develop a Job description

Pay Equity

2024 Compensation Trend

Benefits Consulting

Salary range for an Public Defender

$90,103 to $121,212

Employers: Find Surveys For This Job

Employers: Price Your Company Jobs

View Average Salary for United States
Adjust Public Defender Salary:
Select State
Select City in WI
Choose Similar Job
Pick Related Category
View Cost of Living in Wisconsin

Facing Salary Structure Challenges? Let Our Expert Guide You

The job market is increasingly challenging. Our whitepaper, Navigating the Challenges of Creating Salary Structures, offers guidance on creating salary structures. Provide your phone number and work email to download the full version.

We will handle your contact details in line with our Privacy Policy. If you prefer not to receive marketing emails from Salary.com, you can opt-out out of marketing communications at any time by clicking unsubscribe.

What is a Public Defender?

A Public Defender is an attorney appointed to represent people who otherwise cannot reasonably afford to hire a lawyer. Brazil is the only country where an office of government-paid lawyers, with the specific purpose of providing legal assistance and representation to the destitute, free of charge, is established in the Constitution. In the United States, a 1963 US Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright ruled that the Sixth Amendment of the Bill of Rights requires the government to provide free legal counsel to indigent defendants in criminal cases. Many other countries provide people with p...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 09/06/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

See user submitted job responsibilities for Public Defender.

Select a city to view specific salary and bonus information for Public Defender

Loading results...

Location	Avg. Salary	Date Updated
Location Abbotsford, WI	Avg. Salary $98,765	Date Updated March 01, 2025
Location Abrams, WI	Avg. Salary $100,671	Date Updated March 01, 2025
Location Adams, WI	Avg. Salary $103,423	Date Updated March 01, 2025
Location Adell, WI	Avg. Salary $104,376	Date Updated March 01, 2025
Location Afton, WI	Avg. Salary $103,105	Date Updated March 01, 2025
Location Albany, WI	Avg. Salary $103,105	Date Updated March 01, 2025
Location Algoma, WI	Avg. Salary $100,141	Date Updated March 01, 2025
Location Allenton, WI	Avg. Salary $104,376	Date Updated March 01, 2025
Location Alma, WI	Avg. Salary $105,117	Date Updated March 01, 2025
Location Alma Center, WI	Avg. Salary $98,765	Date Updated March 01, 2025

First
<
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
>
Last

Search Public Defender Job Openings

Job Openings for Public Defender in Wisconsin

What does a Public Defender do?

Common responsibilities of a Public Defender

Provides representation at all stages of the court process, including before the filing of formal charges, at the trial court level, and any related appeals.

September 28, 2022

Required to work in jail environment (will be required to comply with all conditions imposed to enter a facility of this type).

December 01, 2022

Assist the board in the adoption of rule accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act, establishing standards and guideline, policies and procedures for the statewide delivery of public defense services in accordance with rules adopted by the Board or requires by law.

February 01, 2023

Reviews case, results of investigation, applicable laws and codes, and professional obligations to identify, prepare, direct filing, and litigate appropriate pretrial motions.

February 23, 2023

Meets with the client to discuss the appropriate action to be taken and whether pre-trial motions should be filed, discuss any plea offers from the State, and the consequences, including collateral legal consequences thereto, and, ultimately prepare client and case for trial.

February 27, 2023

Performs limited post-conviction work, including motions to modify probation, and represents clients at revocation hearings.

March 31, 2023

Represents all indigent persons charged with serious crimes in the County, including capital murder, murder, and manslaughter.

April 21, 2023

Acts as negotiator between the defendant clients and the State's Attorney's Office prosecutors to secure acquittals or reach agreement concerning sentence time plea agreements which would be the most beneficial for the defendant client, and the State's Attorney's Office.

May 08, 2023

Submit Other Responsibilities

Not the job you're looking for? Search more salaries here:

About Wisconsin

Wisconsin is bordered by the Montreal River; Lake Superior and Michigan to the north; by Lake Michigan to the east; by Illinois to the south; and by Iowa to the southwest and Minnesota to the northwest. A border dispute with Michigan was settled by two cases, both Wisconsin v. Michigan, in 1934 and 1935. The state's boundaries include the Mississippi River and St. Croix River in the west, and the Menominee River in the northeast. With its location between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, Wisconsin is home to a wide variety of geographical features. The state is divided into five dist...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/11/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

View Salary Data for All Nearby Cities

Most Popular Cities for Public Defender Job

About Wisconsin Wisconsin is bordered by the Montreal River; Lake Superior and Michigan to the north; by Lake Michigan to the east; by Illinois to the south; and by I....More

Recently searched related titles: Entry Level Attorney, Junior Associate Attorney, Head Of Customer Operations

Learn more about: Compensation Packages, Employee Flight Risk, Gender Pay Gap, Job Openings for This Role

Jobs with a similar salary range to Public Defender : Criminal Defense Attorney, Closing Attorney, Junior Legal Counsel