Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates salary by state
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
ShareLink copied
About this role
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates is a professional role within the function in the Legal job family.
The Legal function covers advising the business on contracts, regulation, governance, disputes, and risk.
Typical entry preparation: Doctoral Degree and 5 or more years of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
What Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistratess do
Typical education: Doctoral Degree
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.
Instruct juries on applicable laws, direct juries to deduce the facts from the evidence presented, and hear their verdicts.
Write decisions on cases.
Read documents on pleadings and motions to ascertain facts and issues.
Top skills:Active ListeningCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingWritingSpeaking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates pay by experience level
Entry level$48,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$88,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$159,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$202,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$229,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+2.5%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
900
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates salary by industry
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
24,030 workers
$149,000
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
13,130 workers
$173,500
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
10,900 workers
$119,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $141,080 to $153,990.
+9.2% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$48,500
Early career25th percentile
$88,500
Median50th percentile
$159,500
Experienced75th percentile
$202,000
Top earners90th percentile
$229,500
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
The abilities employers and analysts most associate with this occupation.
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingWritingSpeaking
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
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.
Instruct juries on applicable laws, direct juries to deduce the facts from the evidence presented, and hear their verdicts.
Write decisions on cases.
Read documents on pleadings and motions to ascertain facts and issues.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Exempt · Professional, Administrative, or Executive exemption
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Exempt when paid above the salary threshold, provided they satisfy the duties test for one of the FLSA exemption categories. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$149,000
2027$154,000
2028$159,500
2029$165,000
2030$171,000
2031$177,000
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
Get your Personal Pay Report for Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
Keep your market comparison in a print-ready PDF, with negotiation targets, a script using your numbers, and a five-year market-pay illustration. Career ladder where available.
StateYears of experienceCurrent salary
One-time purchase. Review the final total, including any applicable tax, in Stripe before you pay. Report available immediately after successful payment. Full refund on request within 7 days of purchase. Refund terms. Prefer to explore first? Run a free market check.
Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
Your free market check includes an estimated percentile and pay gap when you enter your salary. The paid report adds a PDF, negotiation targets and script, and a five-year market-pay illustration. See a full sample report
How much does a Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates make?
The median market pay for a Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates in the United States is about $149,000 per year in 2026, based on WePayFairly's market model.
What is the salary range for a Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates?
Most Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates pay falls between about $88,500 (25th percentile) and $202,000 (75th percentile), with top earners above $229,500.
What does a Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates do?
Core responsibilities include: sentence defendants in criminal cases, on conviction by jury, according to applicable government statutes; and monitor proceedings to ensure that all applicable rules and procedures are followed.
Is pay for Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates roles growing?
Yes. The national median wage for this occupation moved from $141,080 in 2020 to $153,990 in 2025, a change of +9.2% in nominal dollars.
How this role compares
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates pays 3% below the average across 1,680 roles in the Legal job family (family average $154,000).
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates make?
The average base salary for a Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates in the United States is $149,000 per year, or about $71.63 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $88,500 and $202,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Legal roles?
The Legal job family averages $154,000 across 1,680 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
