Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in the U.S. is $153,990 ($74.03 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $153,990
- Mean annual wage
- $143,830
- Median hourly wage
- $74.03
- Employment
- 24,030
24,030 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,950 | $22.57 |
| 25th percentile | $85,710 | $41.21 |
| Median (50th) | $153,990 | $74.03 |
| 75th percentile | $194,950 | $93.73 |
| 90th percentile | $221,710 | $106.59 |
Highest-paying states for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $49,960 median annual wage
- Michigan: $51,210 median annual wage
- Alabama: $52,850 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $63,240 median annual wage
- Wisconsin: $76,620 median annual wage
About this occupation
Arbitrate, advise, adjudicate, or administer justice in a court of law. May sentence defendant in criminal cases according to government statutes or sentencing guidelines. May determine liability of defendant in civil cases. May perform wedding ceremonies.
Typical tasks
- Perform wedding ceremonies.
- Grant divorces and divide assets between spouses.
- Sentence defendants in criminal cases, on conviction by jury, according to applicable government statutes.
- Monitor proceedings to ensure that all applicable rules and procedures are followed.
- Advise attorneys, juries, litigants, and court personnel regarding conduct, issues, and proceedings.
- Interpret and enforce rules of procedure or establish new rules in situations where there are no procedures already established by law.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Doctoral or professional degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 0.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.7% |
| Some college, no degree | 0.7% |
| Associate's degree | 0.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 6.3% |
| Master's degree | 4.2% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 87.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.