Careers in patent law
Patent work rewards a technical background. Engineers and scientists start as technical specialists or, after the patent bar, as patent agents; with a law degree and a state bar they practice as patent attorneys in prosecution, PTAB trials and litigation.
These guides follow those paths, with pay from the postings on our job board.
Start here
- 1How to Become a Patent AgentThe 2026 path to USPTO registration as a patent agent: degree categories A, B and C, the 100-question exam, the official fees, and the steps after you pass.
- 2Patent Agent vs. Patent Attorney: What Is the Difference?Patent agents and patent attorneys take the same USPTO exam and prosecute the same patents. The differences: a state bar, court work, trademarks and privilege.
- 3How to Become a Patent AttorneyThe 2026 path to becoming a patent attorney: a qualifying technical degree, law school and a state bar, and the USPTO registration exam (the patent bar).
More guides
- Patent Bar Requirements: Who Can Take the USPTO Exam
Who may sit for the patent bar in 2026: the 47 Category A degrees, the Category B science credit options, the FE route, design patents, and citizenship rules.
Tools and data
Patent Law University
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General information, not legal advice. How we write and check these guides: our editorial policy.