Average Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates is $153,990 per year. The middle 50% earn between $85,710 and $194,950, with 24,030 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 43 states and 110 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $46,950
- 25th
- $85,710
- Median
- $153,990
- 75th
- $194,950
- 90th
- $221,710
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates are among the highest-paid occupations tracked by BLS, well into the top decile of US wages.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +2.5%
- 700 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 900
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave.
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience
- 5 years or more
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Entry into this field typically requires a doctoral or professional degree, which helps explain the high wage level and relatively narrow candidate pool.
Where Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Rhode Island at $239,760, about 55.7% above the national median. At the metro level, Providence-Warwick, RI-MA leads with a median of $229,760.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | 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 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $208,180 | 90 |
| Lincoln, NE | $208,180 | 40 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates rose from $136,910 to $153,990, a gain of +12.5% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $136,910 would need to be worth $172,408 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $153,990 is −$18,418 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -10.7% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 12.5% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +12.5%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- -10.7%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $153,990
- 2024
- $156,210
- 2023
- $148,910
- 2022
- $151,030
- 2021
- $148,030
- 2020
- $141,080
- 2019
- $136,910
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Lawyers
- $159,670
- Judicial Law Clerks
- $64,920
- Legal Support Workers, All Other
- $72,110
- Paralegals And Legal Assistants
- $62,890
Common salary questions for Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Judges, Magistrate Judges, And Magistrates workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.