When we talk about the constitutional right to an attorney, we rarely talk about what it costs to provide one.
In Missouri, public defenders are holding up a critical pillar of our justice system. Statistically, the Show-Me State lags noticeably behind the rest of the country in public defense compensation.
The Numbers at a Glance
- Starting Out Behind: For an entry-level public defender (0–1 years of experience) in Missouri, starting salaries typically land between $57,000 and $62,000. On a nationwide scale, that puts Missouri at #39 out of 51 jurisdictions for starting pay [see table #1 below]. New lawyers entering the public arena are often managing substantial law school debt on a baseline salary that trails 38 other states.
- The Long-Term Picture: While experience yields higher caps, the overall average salary for a public defender in Missouri hovers around $100,866 [see table #2 below] Though breaking the six-figure mark looks promising on paper, it sits squarely below the national curve, positioning Missouri at #34 out of 51 for average attorney pay overall.
Urban vs. Rural Public Defenders
Public defense in Missouri is managed through a centralized state system (MSPD). Unlike states with decentralized county structures that can pull averages up via highly funded metropolitan hubs, Missouri’s pay is equitable between rural and urban based public defenders.
Why It Matters
Ensuring constitutional defense requires recruitment, and recruitment requires competitive compensation. If we want a fair legal system, we have to look closely at how we fund the people fighting for it.
Table # 1 – Average Starting Public Defender Pay
| Rank | Jurisdiction | Estimated Starting Salary Range |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $88,000 – $93,000 |
| 2 | California | $84,000 – $91,000 |
| 3 | Washington | $83,000 – $89,000 |
| 4 | New York | $82,000 – $88,000 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $80,000 – $85,000 |
| 6 | Colorado | $78,000 – $84,000 |
| 7 | Alaska | $76,000 – $82,000 |
| 8 | Oregon | $75,000 – $81,000 |
| 9 | Nevada | $75,000 – $80,000 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $74,000 – $79,000 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $73,000 – $78,000 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $72,000 – $77,000 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $72,000 – $76,000 |
| 14 | Florida | $70,000 – $75,000 |
| 15 | Maryland | $70,000 – $75,000 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $69,000 – $74,000 |
| 17 | Illinois | $68,000 – $74,000 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $68,000 – $73,000 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $68,000 – $73,000 |
| 20 | Delaware | $67,000 – $72,000 |
| 21 | Virginia | $66,000 – $71,000 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $66,000 – $70,000 |
| 23 | Vermont | $65,000 – $70,000 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $65,000 – $69,000 |
| 25 | Texas | $64,000 – $69,000 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $63,000 – $68,000 |
| 27 | Arizona | $63,000 – $68,000 |
| 28 | Ohio | $62,000 – $67,000 |
| 29 | Michigan | $62,000 – #66,000 |
| 30 | Iowa | $61,000 – $66,000 |
| 31 | Utah | $61,000 – $65,000 |
| 32 | Indiana | $60,000 – $65,000 |
| 33 | Maine | $60,000 – $64,000 |
| 34 | Georgia | $59,000 – $64,000 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $59,000 – $63,000 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $58,000 – $63,000 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $58,000 – $62,000 |
| 38 | Idaho | $57,000 – $62,000 |
| 39 | Missouri | $57,000 – $62,000 |
| 40 | Kansas | $56,000 – $61,000 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $56,000 – $60,000 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $55,000 – $60,000 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $55,000 – $59,000 |
| 44 | Montana | $54,000 – $59,000 |
| 45 | Alabama | $54,000 – $58,000 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $53,000 – $58,000 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $52,000 – $56,000 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $51,000 – $55,000 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $50,000 – $55,000 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $49,000 – $54,000 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $48,000 – $53,000 |
Table #2 – Average Public Defender Pay
| Rank | Jurisdiction | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $121,792 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $121,515 |
| 3 | New York | $117,645 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $117,439 |
| 5 | Alaska | $115,807 |
| 6 | Vermont | $114,335 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $113,779 |
| 8 | Oregon | $113,693 |
| 9 | Colorado | $113,073 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $111,722 |
| 11 | Nevada | $109,502 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $109,171 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $108,539 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $107,791 |
| 15 | Delaware | $107,626 |
| 16 | South Dakota | $107,533 |
| 17 | Virginia | $106,611 |
| 18 | California | $106,125 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $105,319 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $105,308 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $104,577 |
| 22 | Maryland | $104,365 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $104,207 |
| 24 | Illinois | $104,202 |
| 25 | Maine | $104,113 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $103,363 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $102,527 |
| 28 | Indiana | $102,324 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $102,295 |
| 30 | Ohio | $102,231 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $101,841 |
| 32 | Idaho | $101,177 |
| 33 | Iowa | $101,002 |
| 40 | Missouri | $100,866 |
| 35 | Arizona | $100,209 |
| 36 | Texas | $100,184 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $99,786 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $99,289 |
| 39 | Montana | $98,699 |
| 40 | Utah | $97,895 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $97,726 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $97,599 |
| 43 | Alabama | $97,467 |
| 44 | Kansas | $95,903 |
| 45 | Michigan | $93,725 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $93,395 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $91,954 |
| 48 | Georgia | $90,799 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $88,920 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $83,249 |
| 51 | Florida | $80,359 |
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