Federal Law Clerk Salary 2026: JSP Grades, Steps and Pay Tables
Short answer: Federal law clerks are paid on the Judiciary Salary Plan (JSP), and the hiring judge sets your grade and step (OSCAR qualifications). New graduates usually start at JSP-11; one year of post-graduate legal experience plus bar membership supports JSP-12, and two years supports JSP-13 (OSCAR qualifications). Under the 2026 tables effective January 12, 2026, JSP-11 step 1 is $74,678 in the rest-of-U.S. table and $85,447 in Washington-Baltimore (JSP RUS 2026) (JSP DCB 2026).
2026 step 1 pay by grade
- JSP-11, step 1: $74,678 (rest of U.S.) | $85,447 (Washington-Baltimore) | $88,005 (New York)
- JSP-12, step 1: $89,508 (rest of U.S.) | $102,415 (Washington-Baltimore) | $105,481 (New York)
- JSP-13, step 1: $106,437 (rest of U.S.) | $121,785 (Washington-Baltimore) | $125,431 (New York)
- JSP-14, step 1: $125,776 (rest of U.S.) | $143,913 (Washington-Baltimore) | $148,222 (New York)
Who qualifies for which grade
- JSP-11/1: law graduates with academic excellence and no legal work experience (OSCAR qualifications).
- JSP-12/1: one or more years of post-graduate legal work plus bar membership (OSCAR qualifications).
- JSP-13/1: two or more years of post-graduate legal work plus bar membership (OSCAR qualifications).
- JSP-14/1 (chambers): three years of post-graduate legal work, including at least two years as a federal judiciary law clerk, staff attorney, pro se, death penalty or BAP clerk (one year may be as a Supreme Court Fellow), plus bar membership (OSCAR qualifications).
- Federal Circuit rule: professional work experience, before or after the JD, may count year-for-year toward required legal experience, subject to limits (OSCAR qualifications). See the Federal Circuit guide.
- Federal Circuit (Washington, D.C.): JSP-11 to JSP-14, $85,447 to $187,093 (CAFC-26-06).
- D. Colorado court law clerk (Denver): JSP-11/1 to JSP-13/1, $83,625 to $118,675 (D. Colo. vacancy 2026-28-USDC).
- Bankruptcy, D. Rhode Island: JSP-11 to JSP-13, $84,579 to $156,715 (U.S. Courts posting).
- Bankruptcy, D. Minnesota: $81,415 to $150,852, based on qualifications (D. Minn. Bankr. posting).
Benefits and fine print
- Term appointments are capped at four years of total term clerk service (OSCAR qualifications).
- Temporary clerks need an appointment of 90 days or more for health insurance eligibility (OSCAR qualifications).
- Staff attorneys are paid on a different scale, the Court Personnel System (CL grades) (OSCAR qualifications). See pro se and staff attorney jobs.
- Post-clerkship firm bonuses often dwarf the pay difference between grades. See the clerkship bonus guide.
- JSP Steps (how JSP steps work)
- Law Clerk Salary
- How do judges determine pay rank?
- Less than a year of work experience -> JSP-11 or 12?
- JSP-14 eligibility
- Can term law clerks make it to JS-14?
- Clerkship Salary Post-Big Law
- Supreme Court clerk salary
- CLE Requirements as a Clerk (NY) (CLE while clerking in New York)
Q: How much does a federal law clerk make in 2026?
JSP-11 step 1 is $74,678 in the rest-of-U.S. table, $85,447 in Washington-Baltimore and $88,005 in New York (JSP RUS) (JSP DCB) (JSP NY). Other localities have their own tables. Experience and bar admission can move you to JSP-12 or JSP-13.
Q: Who decides my grade?
The hiring judge, as appointing authority (OSCAR qualifications).
Q: Can a term clerk reach JSP-14?
Yes, with three years of post-graduate legal work including two years of qualifying federal judiciary service, plus bar membership (OSCAR qualifications).
Q: Do I need to pass the bar before starting?
Not for JSP-11. Bar membership is required for JSP-12 and above (OSCAR qualifications).
Related guides
- How to get a federal clerkship
- Clerkship bonuses
- Federal attorney pay: AD vs GS
- Pro se and staff attorney jobs
- Clerkship Directory home
