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
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.
How this role compares
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates pays 10% above the average across 1,680 roles in the Legal job family (family average $135,500).
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 $135,500 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.
