Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for judges, magistrate judges, and magistratess across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $143,830 ≈ $69/hr
National median salary $153,990
Total employment 24,030 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +2.5%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 900 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 27,300 → 28,000 (+700)
Typical entry education Doctoral or professional degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Rhode Island$213,840
- Hawaii$213,030
- Massachusetts$201,060
- New York$198,770
- Nebraska$197,450
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Alabama$66,740
- Mississippi$68,270
- Montana$82,810
- Michigan$87,370
- West Virginia$90,520
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $213,840 | $239,760 | $103 | +48.7% | 120 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $213,030 | $211,810 | $102 | +48.1% | 120 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $201,060 | $221,710 | $97 | +39.8% | 610 |
| 4 | New York | $198,770 | $216,390 | $96 | +38.2% | 2,270 |
| 5 | Nebraska | $197,450 | $208,180 | $95 | +37.3% | 160 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $194,050 | $217,760 | $93 | +34.9% | 230 |
| 7 | Colorado | $191,340 | $198,790 | $92 | +33% | 620 |
| 8 | Florida | $186,200 | $186,040 | $90 | +29.5% | 1,380 |
| 9 | Tennessee | $173,150 | $208,350 | $83 | +20.4% | 420 |
| 10 | Idaho | $171,860 | $172,920 | $83 | +19.5% | 250 |
| 11 | Alaska | $170,670 | $183,310 | $82 | +18.7% | 140 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $170,500 | $204,160 | $82 | +18.5% | 920 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $167,790 | $190,110 | $81 | +16.7% | 590 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $166,270 | $205,400 | $80 | +15.6% | 250 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $164,880 | $171,100 | $79 | +14.6% | 130 |
| 16 | Washington | $159,620 | $134,270 | $77 | +11% | 1,040 |
| 17 | Oregon | $159,490 | $166,400 | $77 | +10.9% | 40 |
| 18 | Vermont | $158,760 | $194,170 | $76 | +10.4% | 80 |
| 19 | Indiana | $157,070 | $183,000 | $76 | +9.2% | 790 |
| 20 | Delaware | $152,360 | $131,340 | $73 | +5.9% | 120 |
| 21 | Maryland | $151,880 | $172,190 | $73 | +5.6% | 170 |
| 22 | Nevada | $149,080 | $166,360 | $72 | +3.7% | 90 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $140,470 | $150,650 | $68 | -2.3% | 370 |
| 24 | Maine | $139,890 | $161,470 | $67 | -2.7% | 100 |
| 25 | Texas | $127,900 | $139,990 | $61 | -11.1% | 2,770 |
| 26 | Arizona | $126,550 | $93,280 | $61 | -12% | 590 |
| 27 | Virginia | $125,190 | $104,000 | $60 | -13% | 1,270 |
| 28 | Kansas | $123,200 | $148,910 | $59 | -14.3% | 420 |
| 29 | Georgia | $121,580 | $133,660 | $58 | -15.5% | 1,190 |
| 30 | Utah | $114,690 | $92,780 | $55 | -20.3% | 100 |
| 31 | Iowa | $113,160 | $147,510 | $54 | -21.3% | 410 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $109,520 | $110,580 | $53 | -23.9% | — |
| 33 | Ohio | $109,500 | $95,260 | $53 | -23.9% | 1,720 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $98,400 | $86,210 | $47 | -31.6% | 670 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $94,290 | $76,620 | $45 | -34.4% | 130 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $93,040 | $83,040 | $45 | -35.3% | 180 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $90,520 | $63,240 | $44 | -37.1% | 350 |
| 38 | Michigan | $87,370 | $51,210 | $42 | -39.3% | 570 |
| 39 | Montana | $82,810 | $84,630 | $40 | -42.4% | 70 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $68,270 | $49,960 | $33 | -52.5% | 360 |
| 41 | Alabama | $66,740 | $52,850 | $32 | -53.6% | 560 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 169 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $229,760 | $211,390 | 150 |
| 2 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $228,330 | $196,580 | 40 |
| 3 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $221,710 | $201,930 | 420 |
| 4 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $218,190 | $196,660 | 200 |
| 5 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $217,760 | $189,200 | 100 |
| 6 | Albuquerque, NM | $216,220 | $198,260 | 80 |
| 7 | Lincoln, NE | $208,180 | $180,060 | 40 |
| 8 | Omaha, NE-IA | $208,180 | $186,780 | 90 |
| 9 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $204,160 | $190,040 | 50 |
| 10 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $204,160 | $188,200 | 1,280 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing judges, magistrate judges, and magistratess (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $176,500 | $167,580 | 13,130 |
| 2 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $176,500 | $167,580 | 13,130 |
| 3 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $153,990 | $143,830 | 24,030 |
| 4 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $153,990 | $143,830 | 24,030 |
| 5 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $153,990 | $143,830 | 24,030 |
| 6 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $153,990 | $143,830 | 24,030 |
| 7 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $102,460 | $115,210 | 10,900 |
| 8 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $102,460 | $115,210 | 10,900 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates make in the U.S.?
The median judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates salary in the United States is $153,990 per year (mean $143,830), and about 80% earn between $46,950 and $221,710.
How much do judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates make per hour?
Roughly $69 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $143,830 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates the most?
Rhode Island has the highest average pay for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates at $213,840 per year (median $239,760).
What is the job outlook for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates?
Employment is projected to change +2.5% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 900 openings per year.
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Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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