A New York district attorney typically earns between $221,100 and $232,600 as of April 2024, because state law pegs the New York district attorney salary to what judges in the same county make. A 2 percent increase scheduled for April 2026 will push the range to roughly $225,000 to $237,000. Smaller counties that keep the DA position part-time pay less, and the five New York City boroughs sit outside the formula entirely.
What Sets the Salary
New York Judiciary Law 183-a is the controlling statute for most of the state. It sorts counties into two tiers and attaches each tier’s DA salary to a judicial benchmark.1New York State Senate. New York Code Judiciary Law 183-A – Compensation of Certain District Attorneys
- In counties with more than 500,000 residents (excluding the NYC boroughs), the DA earns the same salary as a State Supreme Court justice. Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, and Erie fall here.
- In counties with 100,000 to 500,000 residents, and in any smaller county that has designated the DA position as full-time, the DA earns the same salary as a county judge in that county.
County legislatures can authorize additional compensation above the statutory floor by local law. Some wealthier counties use this authority to stay competitive on recruitment.
The five New York City DAs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island) are excluded from Section 183-a. Their pay is set through the city’s own budget process, negotiated between the mayor and City Council, rather than the judicial-parity formula.
Current Dollar Figures
As of April 2024, State Supreme Court justices earn $232,600, and county judges earn between $221,100 and $232,600 depending on their tier.2Office of the New York State Comptroller. UCS-341 April 2024 Salary Increase Judges Justices and New York City Those numbers carry straight over to DA pay in every county covered by Section 183-a.
The 2 percent increase scheduled for April 1, 2026 flows through automatically to DA salaries in covered counties, with no separate action required from the county legislature. By tier:
- DAs in Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, and Erie earn roughly $232,600 as of 2024, rising to about $237,000 in April 2026, with any local supplements layered on top.
- DAs in mid-size counties like Monroe, Onondaga, Albany, Orange, and Dutchess earn the county judge salary, generally $221,100 to $232,600 in 2024.
- DAs in smaller counties that have opted into full-time status earn the same county judge-equivalent pay.
Part-Time Counties Pay Less
Under County Law Section 700, DAs in counties with more than 100,000 residents must work full-time and cannot maintain a private law practice.3New York State Senate. New York County Law 700 – District Attorney Counties with populations between 40,000 and 100,000 can voluntarily designate the position as full-time by resolution of the board of supervisors. Once they do, the practice restriction kicks in and the salary gets pegged to the county judge figure.
In the smallest counties, the DA position may stay part-time. The DA can keep a private practice (subject to ethical limits, like not representing criminal defendants in the same county), and the county-paid salary is set entirely by local appropriation. These salaries are substantially lower than the judicial benchmarks because the officeholder has outside income.
The state contributes $10,000 per year toward each full-time DA’s salary, a modest sum that nudges smaller counties toward opting in.3New York State Senate. New York County Law 700 – District Attorney
Benefits That Add to the Paycheck
Health Insurance
DAs are eligible for the New York State Health Insurance Program, which covers medical, dental, vision, prescription drug, mental health, and preventive services, and extends coverage to dependents.4New York State Department of Civil Service. About the New York State Health Insurance Program
Pension
As elected public officers, DAs can join the New York State and Local Retirement System, a defined-benefit plan that calculates pensions from years of service and final average salary.5Office of the New York State Comptroller. Public Officers The specific tier and formula depend on when the member joined.
Longevity Payments
Some counties pay longevity bonuses or local supplements tied to years in office. These are authorized county by county, so availability and amounts vary. Counties that offer them do not always publicize the formulas, and a FOIL request to the county finance office is often the fastest way to pin down the number.
Student Loan Forgiveness
Two federal programs can meaningfully reduce the real cost of taking a prosecutor’s salary. Public Service Loan Forgiveness cancels remaining federal student loan balances after 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full-time for a government employer, and DA offices qualify. The John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program, run by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, provides loan repayment assistance specifically to state and local prosecutors and public defenders who commit to an initial three-year service obligation, with additional benefits available for each further year of service.6Bureau of Justice Assistance. John R. Justice Program Overview JRJ awards flow through state administering agencies, so the per-prosecutor amount depends on how many applicants the state has in a given cycle.
How It Compares to Federal Prosecutors
Assistant United States Attorneys are paid under the Department of Justice’s Administratively Determined pay plan rather than the General Schedule. They progress from AD-21 at entry level to AD-29 at nine or more years of experience, with higher grades for supervisory and senior litigation roles. In 2025, total compensation including locality pay is capped at $195,100 for most AUSAs.7U.S. Department of Justice. Administratively Determined Pay Plan Charts
That cap sits well below what an elected DA in a large New York county earns under the judicial-parity formula. A seasoned AUSA in the Southern District of New York makes less on base salary than the DA across the street in Manhattan would under a parity formula (though NYC DAs are set by city budget, not the formula). The federal role carries a different caseload mix and different career leverage, but on raw pay, the elected DAs in large New York counties come out ahead.
How It Compares to Assistant District Attorneys
The gap between the DA and the line prosecutors in the same office is wide. Entry-level ADAs in the Bronx who have passed the bar start at $90,000, and unadmitted ADAs start at $85,000.8Office of the Bronx District Attorney. Careers – Assistant District Attorney Manhattan’s ADA range runs from $85,000 for unadmitted hires up to $171,500 for the most experienced prosecutors. In smaller upstate counties, ADA starting salaries can fall in the $60,000 to $80,000 range.
Looking Up a Specific County
County budgets, often posted on official county websites, list the DA’s salary line. For a precise breakdown that includes any local supplements or longevity pay, a request under the Freedom of Information Law filed with the county finance office or the DA’s office is the most reliable route.9New York State Department of State. Request DOS Records Through the New York State Freedom of Information Law The state Comptroller’s Open Book New York portal aggregates financial data from over 3,100 municipalities and is a useful starting point, though payroll payments to individual state employees run through a separate system and may not surface in the general search.10Office of the New York State Comptroller. Open Book New York