NCJ Number
138426
Journal
Judicature Volume: 75 Issue: 3 Dated: (October-November 1991) Pages: 154-160
Date Published
1991
Length
7 pages
Annotation
Court management salaries in 1989 varied, and the wide range may be explained by such factors as the career field's youth, the diversity of courts and court needs, and the various backgrounds court managers bring to their jobs.
Abstract
In February 1989, extensive survey information was obtained from a 5-page questionnaire mailed to 1,183 regular members of the National Association for Court Management. Completed questionnaires were received from 608 court managers (51 percent). Salaries ranged from $13,943 to $99,000, with a mean annual salary of $44,321. The salary figures were substantially higher than in 1982. Although the survey revealed over 30 court management titles, most respondents were either court administrators or court clerks. There was a strong positive relationship between salaries and the number of judges, management staff, and nonmanagement personnel. On average, respondents in courts with one to three judges earned $35,515, whereas their counterparts in courts having 30 or more judges earned $56,606. A strong positive relationship was also observed between population of court jurisdiction and average salary level. By State, average annual salaries ranged from $20,574 in Wyoming to $71,301 in New York. States with relatively high average salaries (over $55,000) included Alaska, California, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York. Educational level affected salaries, with high school and law school graduates earning an average of $33,142 and $57,036, respectively. Respondents reported about 7.2 years of employment in their present position and 8.3 years of prior court management experience. In terms of gender, 330 court managers were male (54.7 percent) and 273 were female (45.3 percent). On average, males earned $49,996 while females earned $37,229. In referencing the findings for local court purposes, it may be necessary to adjust for inflation, supplement salary figures with estimated fringe benefit costs, and consider cost- of-living factors. 14 footnotes, 11 tables, and 4 figures