Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates salary in the U.S.
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates in the U.S. earn a median of $153,990 a year ($74.03 an hour), based on BLS data for 24,030 workers.
Pay ranges from $46,950 for the lowest-paid 10% to $221,710 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $143,830, close to the median.
Pay range for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $46,950 | $22.57 |
| 25th percentile | $85,710 | $41.21 |
| Median | $153,990 | $74.03 |
| 75th percentile | $194,950 | $93.73 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $221,710 | $106.59 |
| Average (mean) | $143,830 | $69.15 |
Half of judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $12,832.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $6,416.25 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $5,922.69 |
| Weekly | $2,961.35 |
| Hourly | $74.03 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $239,760 | 120 |
| Massachusetts | $221,710 | 610 |
| Connecticut | $217,760 | 230 |
| New York | $216,390 | 2,270 |
| Hawaii | $211,810 | 120 |
| Tennessee | $208,350 | 420 |
| Nebraska | $208,180 | 160 |
| New Mexico | $205,400 | 250 |
| New Jersey | $204,160 | 920 |
| Colorado | $198,790 | 620 |
| Vermont | $194,170 | 80 |
| Minnesota | $190,110 | 590 |
| Florida | $186,040 | 1,380 |
| Alaska | $183,310 | 140 |
| Indiana | $183,000 | 790 |
| Idaho | $172,920 | 250 |
| Maryland | $172,190 | 170 |
| North Dakota | $171,100 | 130 |
| Oregon | $166,400 | 40 |
| Nevada | $166,360 | 90 |
| Maine | $161,470 | 100 |
| Kentucky | $150,650 | 370 |
| Kansas | $148,910 | 420 |
| Iowa | $147,510 | 410 |
| Texas | $139,990 | 2,770 |
| Washington | $134,270 | 1,040 |
| Georgia | $133,660 | 1,190 |
| Delaware | $131,340 | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $110,580 | n/a |
| Virginia | $104,000 | 1,270 |
| Ohio | $95,260 | 1,720 |
| Arizona | $93,280 | 590 |
| Utah | $92,780 | 100 |
| South Carolina | $86,210 | 670 |
| Montana | $84,630 | 70 |
| Louisiana | $83,040 | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $76,620 | 130 |
| West Virginia | $63,240 | 350 |
| Alabama | $52,850 | 560 |
| Michigan | $51,210 | 570 |
| Mississippi | $49,960 | 360 |
Best-paying metro areas for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $229,760 | 150 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $228,330 | 40 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $221,710 | 420 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $218,190 | 200 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $217,760 | 100 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $216,220 | 80 |
| Lincoln, NE | $208,180 | 40 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $208,180 | 90 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $204,160 | 50 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $204,160 | 1,280 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $204,160 | 210 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $204,160 | 50 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $198,790 | 310 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $196,890 | 360 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $196,890 | 200 |
Metro areas with the most judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,280 | $204,160 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 710 | $153,990 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 550 | $144,790 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 550 | $135,180 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 480 | $135,430 |
| Cleveland, OH | 440 | $80,020 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 420 | $221,710 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 420 | $186,580 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 380 | $104,000 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 360 | $196,890 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 330 | $113,440 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 310 | $198,790 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 290 | $104,000 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 260 | $183,000 |
| Boise City, ID | 240 | $172,920 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | $159,670 | $76.76 |
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | $117,860 | $56.67 |
| Judicial Law Clerk | $64,920 | $31.21 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $75,530 | $36.31 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $62,890 | $30.24 |
| Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | $58,650 | $28.20 |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $72,110 | $34.67 |
More: Legal Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 23-1023. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates make in the U.S.?
The median salary for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in the U.S. is $153,990 a year, or $74.03 an hour. Pay ranges from $46,950 for the lowest-paid 10% to $221,710 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in the U.S. earn at least $221,710 a year. The top 25% earn $194,950 or more.
What is the starting pay for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $46,950 a year, and a quarter of judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates earn $85,710 or less.
How many judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates work in the U.S.?
About 24,030 judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.