SOC 23-1023 · May 2025 · United States
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
National figures, with pay broken out by state and metro area
The median wage for Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates across the United States is $153,990 per year, measured over 24,030 jobs. The highest state median is in Rhode Island, at $239,760.
National wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +2.5%
- Openings per year
- 900
- Typical entry-level education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- 5 years or more
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Where the pay is highest for Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
Pay for this occupation varies by 379.9% between the highest and lowest paying states with published data. Rhode Island pays $239,760 and Mississippi pays $49,960.
| # | State | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $239,760 | 120 | |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $221,710 | 610 | |
| 3 | Connecticut | $217,760 | 230 | |
| 4 | New York | $216,390 | 2,270 | |
| 5 | Hawaii | $211,810 | 120 | |
| 6 | Tennessee | $208,350 | 420 | |
| 7 | Nebraska | $208,180 | 160 | |
| 8 | New Mexico | $205,400 | 250 | |
| 9 | New Jersey | $204,160 | 920 | |
| 10 | Colorado | $198,790 | 620 |
States with the most Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates jobs
| # | State | Jobs | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 2,770 | $139,990 | |
| 2 | New York | 2,270 | $216,390 | |
| 3 | Ohio | 1,720 | $95,260 | |
| 4 | Florida | 1,380 | $186,040 | |
| 5 | Virginia | 1,270 | $104,000 | |
| 6 | Georgia | 1,190 | $133,660 | |
| 7 | Washington | 1,040 | $134,270 | |
| 8 | New Jersey | 920 | $204,160 | |
| 9 | Indiana | 790 | $183,000 | |
| 10 | South Carolina | 670 | $86,210 |
Top-paying metro areas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Providence | $229,760 | 150 |
| 2 | Longview | $228,330 | 40 |
| 3 | Boston | $221,710 | 420 |
| 4 | Nashville | $218,190 | 200 |
| 5 | Hartford | $217,760 | 100 |
| 6 | Albuquerque | $216,220 | 80 |
| 7 | Lincoln | $208,180 | 40 |
| 8 | Omaha | $208,180 | 90 |
| 9 | Atlantic City | $204,160 | 50 |
| 10 | New York | $204,160 | 1,280 |
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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