Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates vs Lawyers
Side-by-side salary and career comparison using Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
$156,210
median annual salary
Lawyers
$151,160
median annual salary
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates earns $5,050 more per year (3% higher)
Salary & Career Comparison
| Metric | Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | Lawyers |
|---|---|---|
| Median Salary | $156,210 | $151,160 |
| Median Hourly | $75.10/hr | $72.67/hr |
| Mean Salary | $143,110 | $182,760 |
| 10th Percentile | $46,520 | $72,780 |
| 90th Percentile | $216,540 | N/A |
| Total Employment | 25,580 | 747,750 |
| Job Growth (2023–2033) | +2.5% | +4.1% |
| Annual Openings | 0.9 | 31.5 |
| Education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Work Experience | 5 years or more | None |
Salary by State
States where both occupations have reported wage data, sorted by salary difference.
| State | Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | Lawyers | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | $192,910 | $86,970 | +$105,940 |
| Nebraska | $196,390 | $104,970 | +$91,420 |
| Hawaii | $203,290 | $116,010 | +$87,280 |
| Maine | $156,770 | $100,340 | +$56,430 |
| Connecticut | $211,420 | $159,240 | +$52,180 |
| New Mexico | $164,340 | $112,500 | +$51,840 |
| Tennessee | $178,730 | $130,570 | +$48,160 |
| Indiana | $177,180 | $130,120 | +$47,060 |
| Minnesota | $182,790 | $137,720 | +$45,070 |
| Massachusetts | $221,710 | $179,050 | +$42,660 |
| New Jersey | $200,150 | $158,470 | +$41,680 |
| Vermont | $141,080 | $101,090 | +$39,990 |
| Maryland | $181,320 | $143,490 | +$37,830 |
| Kansas | $148,910 | $112,000 | +$36,910 |
| Alaska | $168,880 | $132,710 | +$36,170 |
| Kentucky | $138,620 | $102,670 | +$35,950 |
| Oregon | $174,100 | $141,520 | +$32,580 |
| Missouri | $156,210 | $124,210 | +$32,000 |
| Colorado | $191,640 | $167,970 | +$23,670 |
| New York | $189,890 | $177,210 | +$12,680 |
Showing top 20 of 35 states.
Also Compare
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Common Questions
Which pays more, Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates or Lawyers?
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates pays more, with a median annual salary of $156,210 compared to $151,160 — a difference of $5,050 per year.
Which has better job outlook?
Lawyers has faster projected growth at 4.1% from 2023 to 2033, compared to 2.5% for Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates.
Where does this data come from?
All salary data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release. Job outlook data comes from the BLS Employment Projections program covering 2023-2033.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024.