Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates is $153,990, or $74.03 per hour. About 24,030 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $239,760 in Rhode Island to $49,960 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 41 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $239,760 | $115.27 | 120 | 1.53 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $221,710 | $106.59 | 610 | 1.08 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $217,760 | $104.69 | 230 | 0.88 |
| 4 | New York | $216,390 | $104.03 | 2,270 | 1.51 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $211,810 | $101.83 | 120 | 1.22 |
| 6 | Tennessee | $208,350 | $100.17 | 420 | 0.83 |
| 7 | Nebraska | $208,180 | $100.09 | 160 | 1.03 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $205,400 | $98.75 | 250 | 1.83 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $204,160 | $98.15 | 920 | 1.39 |
| 10 | Colorado | $198,790 | $95.57 | 620 | 1.39 |
| 11 | Vermont | $194,170 | $93.35 | 80 | 1.71 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $190,110 | $91.40 | 590 | 1.30 |
| 13 | Florida | $186,040 | $89.44 | 1,380 | 0.90 |
| 14 | Alaska | $183,310 | $88.13 | 140 | 2.86 |
| 15 | Indiana | $183,000 | $87.98 | 790 | 1.59 |
| 16 | Idaho | $172,920 | $83.13 | 250 | 1.91 |
| 17 | Maryland | $172,190 | $82.78 | 170 | 0.40 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $171,100 | $82.26 | 130 | 1.90 |
| 19 | Oregon | $166,400 | $80.00 | 40 | 0.14 |
| 20 | Nevada | $166,360 | $79.98 | 90 | 0.37 |
| 21 | Maine | $161,470 | $77.63 | 100 | 0.97 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $150,650 | $72.43 | 370 | 1.19 |
| 23 | Kansas | $148,910 | $71.59 | 420 | 1.91 |
| 24 | Iowa | $147,510 | $70.92 | 410 | 1.68 |
| 25 | Texas | $139,990 | $67.30 | 2,770 | 1.27 |
| 26 | Washington | $134,270 | $64.55 | 1,040 | 1.90 |
| 27 | Georgia | $133,660 | $64.26 | 1,190 | 1.57 |
| 28 | Delaware | $131,340 | $63.14 | 120 | 1.60 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $110,580 | $53.16 | — | — |
| 30 | Virginia | $104,000 | $50.00 | 1,270 | 2.00 |
| 31 | Ohio | $95,260 | $45.80 | 1,720 | 2.01 |
| 32 | Arizona | $93,280 | $44.85 | 590 | 1.18 |
| 33 | Utah | $92,780 | $44.60 | 100 | 0.37 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $86,210 | $41.45 | 670 | 1.87 |
| 35 | Montana | $84,630 | $40.69 | 70 | 0.90 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $83,040 | $39.93 | 180 | 0.59 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $76,620 | $36.84 | 130 | 0.30 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $63,240 | $30.40 | 350 | 3.20 |
| 39 | Alabama | $52,850 | $25.41 | 560 | 1.73 |
| 40 | Michigan | $51,210 | $24.62 | 570 | 0.83 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $49,960 | $24.02 | 360 | 2.00 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates make?
The median annual wage for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in the United States is $153,990, or $74.03 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $46,950, and the top 10% earn $221,710.
How many judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates are employed in the U.S.?
About 24,030 people work as judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates nationwide.
Which state pays judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates the most?
Rhode Island pays the most at a median of $239,760, followed by Massachusetts ($221,710) and Connecticut ($217,760).
Which state pays judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $49,960.
Where are judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is West Virginia at 3.20×.