Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates salary
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates earn a median of $153,990 a year ($74.03/hr) in the U.S. – from $49,960 in Mississippi to $239,760 in Rhode Island. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$74.03/hr · $153,990 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$46,950$22.57/hr
75% earn more$85,710$41.21/hr
half earn more, half less$153,990$74.03/hr
25% earn more$194,950$93.73/hr
top 10% earn more$221,710$106.59/hr
pulled up by top earners$143,830$69.15/hr
How does my pay compare?
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Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
120 jobs · $115.27/hr$239,760
610 jobs · $106.59/hr$221,710
230 jobs · $104.69/hr$217,760
2,270 jobs · $104.03/hr$216,390
120 jobs · $101.83/hr$211,810
420 jobs · $100.17/hr$208,350
160 jobs · $100.09/hr$208,180
250 jobs · $98.75/hr$205,400
920 jobs · $98.15/hr$204,160
620 jobs · $95.57/hr$198,790
80 jobs · $93.35/hr$194,170
590 jobs · $91.40/hr$190,110
1,380 jobs · $89.44/hr$186,040
140 jobs · $88.13/hr$183,310
790 jobs · $87.98/hr$183,000
250 jobs · $83.13/hr$172,920
170 jobs · $82.78/hr$172,190
130 jobs · $82.26/hr$171,100
40 jobs · $80.00/hr$166,400
90 jobs · $79.98/hr$166,360
100 jobs · $77.63/hr$161,470
370 jobs · $72.43/hr$150,650
420 jobs · $71.59/hr$148,910
410 jobs · $70.92/hr$147,510
2,770 jobs · $67.30/hr$139,990
1,040 jobs · $64.55/hr$134,270
1,190 jobs · $64.26/hr$133,660
120 jobs · $63.14/hr$131,340
jobs n/a · $53.16/hr$110,580
1,270 jobs · $50.00/hr$104,000
1,720 jobs · $45.80/hr$95,260
590 jobs · $44.85/hr$93,280
100 jobs · $44.60/hr$92,780
670 jobs · $41.45/hr$86,210
70 jobs · $40.69/hr$84,630
180 jobs · $39.93/hr$83,040
130 jobs · $36.84/hr$76,620
350 jobs · $30.40/hr$63,240
560 jobs · $25.41/hr$52,850
570 jobs · $24.62/hr$51,210
360 jobs · $24.02/hr$49,960
No wage estimate published for: Arkansas, Missouri, Puerto Rico.
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 23-1023. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates make?
The median wage for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in the U.S. was $74.03 an hour or $153,990 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $85,710 and $194,950 a year.
Which state pays judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates the most?
Rhode Island has the highest median wage for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates: $239,760 a year. The lowest published median is in Mississippi at $49,960. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates are there?
BLS estimates 24,030 judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.