SOC 23-1023 · Legal Occupations

Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$153,990

U.S. median hourly wage$74.03

U.S. employment24,030

Nationally, judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates earned a median of $153,990 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 24,030 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

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Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates: pay and employment by state
State
Rhode Island	$239,760	$115.27	120	0.2
Massachusetts	$221,710	$106.59	610	0.2
Connecticut	$217,760	$104.69	230	0.1
New York	$216,390	$104.03	2,270	0.2
Hawaii	$211,810	$101.83	120	0.2
Tennessee	$208,350	$100.17	420	0.1
Nebraska	$208,180	$100.09	160	0.2
New Mexico	$205,400	$98.75	250	0.3
New Jersey	$204,160	$98.15	920	0.2
Colorado	$198,790	$95.57	620	0.2
Vermont	$194,170	$93.35	80	0.3
Minnesota	$190,110	$91.40	590	0.2
Florida	$186,040	$89.44	1,380	0.1
Alaska	$183,310	$88.13	140	0.4
Indiana	$183,000	$87.98	790	0.2
Idaho	$172,920	$83.13	250	0.3
Maryland	$172,190	$82.78	170	0.1
North Dakota	$171,100	$82.26	130	0.3
Oregon	$166,400	$80.00	40	0.0
Nevada	$166,360	$79.98	90	0.1
Maine	$161,470	$77.63	100	0.2
Kentucky	$150,650	$72.43	370	0.2
Kansas	$148,910	$71.59	420	0.3
Iowa	$147,510	$70.92	410	0.3
Texas	$139,990	$67.30	2,770	0.2
Washington	$134,270	$64.55	1,040	0.3
Georgia	$133,660	$64.26	1,190	0.2
Delaware	$131,340	$63.14	120	0.2
Pennsylvania	$110,580	$53.16	Not published	Not published
Virginia	$104,000	$50.00	1,270	0.3
Ohio	$95,260	$45.80	1,720	0.3
Arizona	$93,280	$44.85	590	0.2
Utah	$92,780	$44.60	100	0.1
South Carolina	$86,210	$41.45	670	0.3
Montana	$84,630	$40.69	70	0.1
Louisiana	$83,040	$39.93	180	0.1
Wisconsin	$76,620	$36.84	130	0.0
West Virginia	$63,240	$30.40	350	0.5
Alabama	$52,850	$25.41	560	0.3
Michigan	$51,210	$24.62	570	0.1
Mississippi	$49,960	$24.02	360	0.3
Arkansas	Not published	Not published	240	0.2
Missouri	Not published	Not published	600	0.2
Puerto Rico	Not published	Not published	490	0.5

Pay by metro area

All 110 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

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Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$229,760	$110.46	150	0.2
Longview-Kelso, WA	$228,330	$109.78	40	1.1
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$221,710	$106.59	420	0.2
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$218,190	$104.90	200	0.2
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$217,760	$104.69	100	0.2
Albuquerque, NM	$216,220	$103.95	80	0.2
Lincoln, NE	$208,180	$100.09	40	0.2
Omaha, NE-IA	$208,180	$100.09	90	0.2
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ	$204,160	$98.15	50	0.3
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$204,160	$98.15	1,280	0.1
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$204,160	$98.15	210	0.1
Trenton-Princeton, NJ	$204,160	$98.15	50	0.2
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$198,790	$95.57	310	0.2
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$196,890	$94.66	360	0.1
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$196,890	$94.66	200	0.1
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$191,320	$91.98	90	0.1
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$190,690	$91.68	40	0.0
Colorado Springs, CO	$190,230	$91.46	70	0.2
Greeley, CO	$190,230	$91.46	30	0.3
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$186,580	$89.70	420	0.2
Evansville, IN	$183,000	$87.98	30	0.3
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$183,000	$87.98	260	0.2
Gainesville, FL	$178,950	$86.03	40	0.2
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$178,260	$85.70	60	0.0
Glens Falls, NY	$177,840	$85.50	30	0.6
Utica-Rome, NY	$176,500	$84.86	50	0.4
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$176,450	$84.83	140	0.1
Port St. Lucie, FL	$175,430	$84.34	40	0.2
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL	$175,020	$84.14	60	0.3
Rochester, NY	$174,940	$84.11	130	0.3
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	$174,730	$84.00	60	0.2
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$174,250	$83.77	180	0.3
Jacksonville, FL	$173,920	$83.62	90	0.1
Tallahassee, FL	$173,370	$83.35	60	0.3
Boise City, ID	$172,920	$83.13	240	0.6
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$172,410	$82.89	150	0.3
Syracuse, NY	$172,270	$82.82	120	0.4
Binghamton, NY	$165,900	$79.76	40	0.4
Burlington-South Burlington, VT	$161,490	$77.64	40	0.3
Fort Wayne, IN	$159,620	$76.74	50	0.2
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$156,550	$75.27	100	0.1
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$153,990	$74.03	710	0.5
Topeka, KS	$148,910	$71.59	50	0.5
Wichita, KS	$148,910	$71.59	60	0.2
Knoxville, TN	$148,580	$71.43	40	0.1
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	$147,510	$70.92	90	0.2
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$146,400	$70.38	80	0.0
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	$145,860	$70.13	210	0.2
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$144,790	$69.61	550	0.2
Gainesville, GA	$144,790	$69.61	30	0.3
Corpus Christi, TX	$140,090	$67.35	50	0.3
Lubbock, TX	$139,870	$67.24	40	0.2
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$135,430	$65.11	480	0.1
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$135,180	$64.99	550	0.3
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	$132,550	$63.73	30	0.2
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$124,870	$60.04	40	0.1
Spartanburg, SC	$122,990	$59.13	50	0.3
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$122,750	$59.02	240	0.2
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA	$114,400	$55.00	30	0.4
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA	$114,120	$54.87	50	0.4
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	$114,120	$54.87	60	0.2
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$113,440	$54.54	330	0.1
Chattanooga, TN-GA	$107,670	$51.77	40	0.1
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	$107,180	$51.53	40	0.3
Youngstown-Warren, OH	$106,170	$51.04	80	0.5
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	$104,760	$50.37	130	0.4
Charlottesville, VA	$104,000	$50.00	30	0.3
Columbus, OH	$104,000	$50.00	240	0.2
Lynchburg, VA	$104,000	$50.00	40	0.4
Richmond, VA	$104,000	$50.00	220	0.3
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$104,000	$50.00	290	0.4
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$104,000	$50.00	380	0.1
Charleston, WV	$103,940	$49.97	40	0.4
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC	$99,400	$47.79	100	0.2
Canton-Massillon, OH	$98,790	$47.50	60	0.4
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	$98,120	$47.17	80	0.2
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	$95,020	$45.68	60	0.1
Columbia, SC	$94,400	$45.38	90	0.2
Roanoke, VA	$91,000	$43.75	60	0.4
Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ	$89,990	$43.26	30	0.6
Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ	$89,990	$43.26	30	0.4
Tucson, AZ	$89,990	$43.26	100	0.3
Florence, SC	$86,860	$41.76	40	0.4
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	$85,260	$40.99	70	0.3
Cleveland, OH	$80,020	$38.47	440	0.4
Texarkana, TX-AR	$78,630	$37.81	30	0.6
Jackson, MS	$78,050	$37.53	60	0.2
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$72,610	$34.91	60	0.0
Akron, OH	$68,760	$33.06	60	0.2
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV	$63,240	$30.40	30	0.3
Birmingham, AL	$57,260	$27.53	140	0.3
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL	$57,220	$27.51	30	0.4
Mobile, AL	$57,160	$27.48	30	0.2
Montgomery, AL	$56,630	$27.23	40	0.3
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$55,000	$26.44	180	0.1
Dothan, AL	$48,930	$23.53	30	0.5
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	$48,110	$23.13	60	0.1
Tuscaloosa, AL	$46,930	$22.56	40	0.3
Amarillo, TX	Not published	Not published	30	0.3
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	Not published	Not published	430	0.1
El Paso, TX	Not published	Not published	80	0.2
Jefferson City, MO	Not published	Not published	30	0.4
Kansas City, MO-KS	Not published	Not published	200	0.2
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA	Not published	Not published	30	0.3
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	Not published	Not published	70	0.2
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	Not published	Not published	60	0.2
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR	Not published	Not published	490	0.7
Springfield, MO	Not published	Not published	40	0.2
St. Louis, MO-IL	Not published	Not published	170	0.1
Toledo, OH	Not published	Not published	120	0.4

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.