SOC 23-1023 · May 2025
Judge Salary
Judges in the US earn a median of $153,990 a year ($69.15 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Judge pay climbed from $128,550 in 2019 to $143,830 in 2025, a +11.9% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$153,990
Half of all Judges in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+11.9% since 2019 · +0.5% YoY
Hourly
$69.15
Job growth 2025-35
+2.8%
US workers
24,030
BLS series
Annual median wage for Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Judges is $46,950 – $221,710.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$46,950
25th
$85,710
Median
$153,990
75th
$194,950
90th
$221,710
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Judges. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $46,950 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $85,710 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $153,990 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $194,950 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $221,710 |
Geography
Judge pay by state
Judges earn the most in Rhode Island ($239,760, +56% against the national median) and the least in Mississippi ($49,960). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 41 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$153,990
Highest-paying states for judges
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $239,760 | +56% | 120 |
| Massachusetts | $221,710 | +44% | 610 |
| Connecticut | $217,760 | +41% | 230 |
| New York | $216,390 | +41% | 2,270 |
| Hawaii | $211,810 | +38% | 120 |
| Tennessee | $208,350 | +35% | 420 |
| Nebraska | $208,180 | +35% | 160 |
| New Mexico | $205,400 | +33% | 250 |
| New Jersey | $204,160 | +33% | 920 |
| Colorado | $198,790 | +29% | 620 |
All 41 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| New Jersey | $204,160 | 920 |
| Colorado | $198,790 | 620 |
| Vermont | $194,170 | 80 |
| Minnesota | $190,110 | 590 |
| Florida | $186,040 | 1,380 |
| Alaska | $183,310 | 140 |
| Indiana | $183,000 | 790 |
| Idaho | $172,920 | 250 |
| Maryland | $172,190 | 170 |
| North Dakota | $171,100 | 130 |
| Oregon | $166,400 | 40 |
| Nevada | $166,360 | 90 |
| Maine | $161,470 | 100 |
| Kentucky | $150,650 | 370 |
| Kansas | $148,910 | 420 |
| Iowa | $147,510 | 410 |
| Texas | $139,990 | 2,770 |
| Washington | $134,270 | 1,040 |
| Georgia | $133,660 | 1,190 |
| Delaware | $131,340 | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $110,580 | – |
| Virginia | $104,000 | 1,270 |
| Ohio | $95,260 | 1,720 |
| Arizona | $93,280 | 590 |
| Utah | $92,780 | 100 |
| South Carolina | $86,210 | 670 |
| Montana | $84,630 | 70 |
| Louisiana | $83,040 | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $76,620 | 130 |
| West Virginia | $63,240 | 350 |
| Alabama | $52,850 | 560 |
| Michigan | $51,210 | 570 |
| Mississippi | $49,960 | 360 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Judges
Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates (BLS SOC 23-1023) apply the law by overseeing the legal process in courts. The role typically requires a Juris Doctor (JD) degree, several years of legal practice, and election or appointment. Federal judges (Article III) earn salaries set by Congress; state and local judicial pay varies sharply by jurisdiction. Pay generally falls below private-practice partner-level legal compensation.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $46,950 – $221,710. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Pay in Rhode Island runs 4.8 times the level in Mississippi, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as doctoral or professional degree, and projects about 800 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 2.8% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Judge salary in the US?
How much does a Judge make an hour?
How much do Judges make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Judges the most?
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Open positions
Open Judge roles hiring now
Browse current Judge listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 23-1023. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.