23 Series · SOC 23-1023
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $153,990
- Median / year
- $221,710
- Top 10% earn
- +2.5%
- Growth '23–'33
- 24,030
- US workers
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates earn a median of $153,990 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $153,990, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $46,950 (10th percentile) to $221,710 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 24,030 US workers. Rhode Island pays the most ($239,760), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates earn a median of $153,990, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 96% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Legal, it ranks #2 of 8 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2.5% by 2033.
- $153,990
- Median annual wage
- Top 4%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #2 of 8
- in Legal
- 4.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Rhode Island at $239,760. Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates (SOC 23-1023) pays a national median of $153,990 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $46,950 at the 10th percentile to $221,710 at the 90th, with a mean of $143,830 indicating a compressed distribution clustered near the median. An estimated 24,030 Americans work in this occupation across 41 reporting states and 150 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 900 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Doctoral or professional degree, with 5 years or more of prior experience generally required and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.2 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Rhode Island pays the highest state median at $239,760, which is +56% above the national figure. The top metro is Providence-Warwick, RI-MA at $229,760 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$153,990
per year
Median Hourly
$74.03/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$143,830
average
Employment
24,030
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$153,990 Top 4% higher than 96% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 23-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 8 23-series occupations with growth data, Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates sits on the slower-growing side at +2.5% growth and $153,990 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+2.5%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
900
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Work Experience
5 years or more
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.2/100K
Injury Rate
0.2/100
Danger Index
0.9/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Sentence defendants in criminal cases, on conviction by jury, according to applicable government statutes.
- ▸ Rule on custody and access disputes, and enforce court orders regarding custody and support of children.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Rule on admissibility of evidence and methods of conducting testimony.
- ▸ Preside over hearings and listen to allegations made by plaintiffs to determine whether the evidence supports the charges.
- ▸ Award compensation for damages to litigants in civil cases in relation to findings by juries or by the court.
- ▸ Conduct preliminary hearings to decide issues, such as whether there is reasonable and probable cause to hold defendants in felony cases.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$46,950
25th Percentile
$85,710
Median
$153,990
75th Percentile
$194,950
90th Percentile
$221,710
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 41 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $239,760 | +56% above national |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $221,710 | +44% above national |
| 3 | Connecticut | $217,760 | +41% above national |
| 4 | New York | $216,390 | +41% above national |
| 5 | Hawaii | $211,810 | +38% above national |
| 6 | Tennessee | $208,350 | +35% above national |
| 7 | Nebraska | $208,180 | +35% above national |
| 8 | New Mexico | $205,400 | +33% above national |
| 9 | New Jersey | $204,160 | +33% above national |
| 10 | Colorado | $198,790 | +29% above national |
| 11 | Vermont | $194,170 | +26% above national |
| 12 | Minnesota | $190,110 | +23% above national |
| 13 | Florida | $186,040 | +21% above national |
| 14 | Alaska | $183,310 | +19% above national |
| 15 | Indiana | $183,000 | +19% above national |
| 16 | Idaho | $172,920 | +12% above national |
| 17 | Maryland | $172,190 | +12% above national |
| 18 | North Dakota | $171,100 | +11% above national |
| 19 | Oregon | $166,400 | +8% above national |
| 20 | Nevada | $166,360 | +8% above national |
| 21 | Maine | $161,470 | +5% above national |
| 22 | Kentucky | $150,650 | 2% below national |
| 23 | Kansas | $148,910 | 3% below national |
| 24 | Iowa | $147,510 | 4% below national |
| 25 | Texas | $139,990 | 9% below national |
| 26 | Washington | $134,270 | 13% below national |
| 27 | Georgia | $133,660 | 13% below national |
| 28 | Delaware | $131,340 | 15% below national |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $110,580 | 28% below national |
| 30 | Virginia | $104,000 | 32% below national |
| 31 | Ohio | $95,260 | 38% below national |
| 32 | Arizona | $93,280 | 39% below national |
| 33 | Utah | $92,780 | 40% below national |
| 34 | South Carolina | $86,210 | 44% below national |
| 35 | Montana | $84,630 | 45% below national |
| 36 | Louisiana | $83,040 | 46% below national |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $76,620 | 50% below national |
| 38 | West Virginia | $63,240 | 59% below national |
| 39 | Alabama | $52,850 | 66% below national |
| 40 | Michigan | $51,210 | 67% below national |
| 41 | Mississippi | $49,960 | 68% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 150 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $229,760 | +49% above national |
| 2 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $228,330 | +48% above national |
| 3 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $221,710 | +44% above national |
| 4 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $218,190 | +42% above national |
| 5 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $217,760 | +41% above national |
| 6 | Albuquerque, NM | $216,220 | +40% above national |
| 7 | Lincoln, NE | $208,180 | +35% above national |
| 8 | Omaha, NE-IA | $208,180 | +35% above national |
| 9 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $204,160 | +33% above national |
| 10 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $204,160 | +33% above national |
| 11 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $204,160 | +33% above national |
| 12 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $204,160 | +33% above national |
| 13 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $202,550 | +32% above national |
| 14 | North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $201,700 | +31% above national |
| 15 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $198,790 | +29% above national |
| 16 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $196,890 | +28% above national |
| 17 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $196,890 | +28% above national |
| 18 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $191,320 | +24% above national |
| 19 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $190,690 | +24% above national |
| 20 | Colorado Springs, CO | $190,230 | +24% above national |
| 21 | Greeley, CO | $190,230 | +24% above national |
| 22 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $190,230 | +24% above national |
| 23 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $190,230 | +24% above national |
| 24 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $190,230 | +24% above national |
| 25 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $186,580 | +21% above national |
| 26 | North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $186,040 | +21% above national |
| 27 | Evansville, IN | $183,000 | +19% above national |
| 28 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $183,000 | +19% above national |
| 29 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $183,000 | +19% above national |
| 30 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $183,000 | +19% above national |
| 31 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $183,000 | +19% above national |
| 32 | Gainesville, FL | $178,950 | +16% above national |
| 33 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $178,420 | +16% above national |
| 34 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $178,410 | +16% above national |
| 35 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $178,260 | +16% above national |
| 36 | Glens Falls, NY | $177,840 | +15% above national |
| 37 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $176,770 | +15% above national |
| 38 | Utica-Rome, NY | $176,500 | +15% above national |
| 39 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $176,450 | +15% above national |
| 40 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $175,430 | +14% above national |
| 41 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $175,020 | +14% above national |
| 42 | Rochester, NY | $174,940 | +14% above national |
| 43 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $174,730 | +13% above national |
| 44 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $174,250 | +13% above national |
| 45 | Jacksonville, FL | $173,920 | +13% above national |
| 46 | Tallahassee, FL | $173,370 | +13% above national |
| 47 | Boise City, ID | $172,920 | +12% above national |
| 48 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $172,410 | +12% above national |
| 49 | Syracuse, NY | $172,270 | +12% above national |
| 50 | Binghamton, NY | $165,900 | +8% above national |
| 51 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $162,050 | +5% above national |
| 52 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $161,490 | +5% above national |
| 53 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $161,470 | +5% above national |
| 54 | Fort Wayne, IN | $159,620 | +4% above national |
| 55 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $156,550 | +2% above national |
| 56 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $156,550 | +2% above national |
| 57 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $153,990 | same as national |
| 58 | Topeka, KS | $148,910 | 3% below national |
| 59 | Wichita, KS | $148,910 | 3% below national |
| 60 | Knoxville, TN | $148,580 | 4% below national |
| 61 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $147,510 | 4% below national |
| 62 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $146,400 | 5% below national |
| 63 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $145,860 | 5% below national |
| 64 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $144,790 | 6% below national |
| 65 | Gainesville, GA | $144,790 | 6% below national |
| 66 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $141,750 | 8% below national |
| 67 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $141,750 | 8% below national |
| 68 | East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $141,750 | 8% below national |
| 69 | Corpus Christi, TX | $140,090 | 9% below national |
| 70 | Lubbock, TX | $139,870 | 9% below national |
| 71 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $135,430 | 12% below national |
| 72 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $135,180 | 12% below national |
| 73 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $132,550 | 14% below national |
| 74 | Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $126,960 | 18% below national |
| 75 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $126,960 | 18% below national |
| 76 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $124,870 | 19% below national |
| 77 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $124,520 | 19% below national |
| 78 | Spartanburg, SC | $122,990 | 20% below national |
| 79 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $122,750 | 20% below national |
| 80 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $117,580 | 24% below national |
| 81 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $116,750 | 24% below national |
| 82 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $114,400 | 26% below national |
| 83 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $114,120 | 26% below national |
| 84 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $114,120 | 26% below national |
| 85 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $113,440 | 26% below national |
| 86 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $107,670 | 30% below national |
| 87 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $107,180 | 30% below national |
| 88 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $106,170 | 31% below national |
| 89 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $104,760 | 32% below national |
| 90 | Charlottesville, VA | $104,000 | 32% below national |
| 91 | Columbus, OH | $104,000 | 32% below national |
| 92 | Lynchburg, VA | $104,000 | 32% below national |
| 93 | Richmond, VA | $104,000 | 32% below national |
| 94 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $104,000 | 32% below national |
| 95 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $104,000 | 32% below national |
| 96 | Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $104,000 | 32% below national |
| 97 | Charleston, WV | $103,940 | 33% below national |
| 98 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $99,620 | 35% below national |
| 99 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $99,400 | 35% below national |
| 100 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $98,790 | 36% below national |
| 101 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $98,120 | 36% below national |
| 102 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $95,020 | 38% below national |
| 103 | Columbia, SC | $94,400 | 39% below national |
| 104 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $94,040 | 39% below national |
| 105 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $93,280 | 39% below national |
| 106 | Roanoke, VA | $91,000 | 41% below national |
| 107 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $91,000 | 41% below national |
| 108 | Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $91,000 | 41% below national |
| 109 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $90,280 | 41% below national |
| 110 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $89,990 | 42% below national |
| 111 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $89,990 | 42% below national |
| 112 | Tucson, AZ | $89,990 | 42% below national |
| 113 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $89,990 | 42% below national |
| 114 | Florence, SC | $86,860 | 44% below national |
| 115 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $85,260 | 45% below national |
| 116 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $81,430 | 47% below national |
| 117 | Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $80,440 | 48% below national |
| 118 | Cleveland, OH | $80,020 | 48% below national |
| 119 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $78,630 | 49% below national |
| 120 | Jackson, MS | $78,050 | 49% below national |
| 121 | Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $78,010 | 49% below national |
| 122 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $77,840 | 49% below national |
| 123 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $76,100 | 51% below national |
| 124 | East Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $75,230 | 51% below national |
| 125 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $74,590 | 52% below national |
| 126 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $73,250 | 52% below national |
| 127 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $72,610 | 53% below national |
| 128 | Akron, OH | $68,760 | 55% below national |
| 129 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $63,240 | 59% below national |
| 130 | Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $63,240 | 59% below national |
| 131 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $63,240 | 59% below national |
| 132 | Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $62,310 | 60% below national |
| 133 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $61,930 | 60% below national |
| 134 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $61,410 | 60% below national |
| 135 | Birmingham, AL | $57,260 | 63% below national |
| 136 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $57,220 | 63% below national |
| 137 | Mobile, AL | $57,160 | 63% below national |
| 138 | Montgomery, AL | $56,630 | 63% below national |
| 139 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $55,000 | 64% below national |
| 140 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $52,850 | 66% below national |
| 141 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $50,530 | 67% below national |
| 142 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $49,960 | 68% below national |
| 143 | Dothan, AL | $48,930 | 68% below national |
| 144 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $48,110 | 69% below national |
| 145 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $47,800 | 69% below national |
| 146 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $46,930 | 70% below national |
| 147 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $45,470 | 70% below national |
| 148 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $45,470 | 70% below national |
| 149 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $45,470 | 70% below national |
| 150 | West Delta Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $45,310 | 71% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 23 (legal) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $194,950/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Rhode Island leads at $239,760/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.