Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates: Career Overview
Arbitrate, advise, adjudicate, or administer justice in a court of law. May sentence defendant in criminal cases according to government statutes or sentencing guidelines. May determine liability of defendant in civil cases. May perform wedding ceremonies.
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What Do Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Perform?
Typical responsibilities of judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates include:
- Sentence defendants in criminal cases, on conviction by jury, according to applicable government statutes.
- Monitor proceedings to ensure that all applicable rules and procedures are followed.
- Instruct juries on applicable laws, direct juries to deduce the facts from the evidence presented, and hear their verdicts.
- Write decisions on cases.
- Read documents on pleadings and motions to ascertain facts and issues.
- Rule on admissibility of evidence and methods of conducting testimony.
- Preside over hearings and listen to allegations made by plaintiffs to determine whether the evidence supports the charges.
- Award compensation for damages to litigants in civil cases in relation to findings by juries or by the court.
What Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Need to Know
Top judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Administrative Court Justice
- Appeals Specialist
- Appellate Court Judge
- Appellate Immigration Judge
- Ballot Processing Judge
- Bankruptcy Judge
- Chancery Master
- Chief Judge
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 236,021 judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +0.0% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $84,793 |
| Hourly median | $40.77 |
| 10th percentile | $61,461 |
| 25th percentile | $73,127 |
| 75th percentile | $96,460 |
| 90th percentile | $108,126 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $221,710 |
| Connecticut | $211,420 |
| Hawaii | $203,290 |
| New Jersey | $200,150 |
| Nebraska | $196,390 |
| Arkansas | $192,910 |
| Colorado | $191,640 |
| New York | $189,890 |
| Minnesota | $182,790 |
| Maryland | $181,320 |
| Tennessee | $178,730 |
| Indiana | $177,180 |
| Oregon | $174,100 |
| Alaska | $168,880 |
| New Mexico | $164,340 |
| Maine | $156,770 |
| Missouri | $156,210 |
| Kansas | $148,910 |
| Vermont | $141,080 |
| Texas | $139,990 |
| Kentucky | $138,620 |
| Washington | $131,740 |
| Georgia | $131,670 |
| Delaware | $126,700 |
| Utah | $123,640 |
| Nevada | $118,690 |
| Virginia | $104,000 |
| Ohio | $97,260 |
| Puerto Rico | $95,570 |
| South Carolina | $84,270 |
| Wisconsin | $83,620 |
| Louisiana | $70,610 |
| Montana | $63,260 |
| West Virginia | $63,240 |
| Michigan | $51,250 |
| Alabama | $50,950 |
| Mississippi | $49,900 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $206,751 | 4.2% | 1.00 |
| Middle Atlantic | $189,696 | 17.0% | 1.44 |
| Far Western US | $146,789 | 7.4% | 1.58 |
| Rocky Mountains | $127,919 | 4.6% | 1.31 |
| Plains States | $127,172 | 8.9% | 1.30 |
| Southwest | $116,661 | 14.9% | 1.18 |
| Great Lakes | $105,327 | 16.7% | 2.13 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $95,570 | 2.0% | 2.96 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longview-Kelso, WA | WA | $224,040 | 40 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $221,710 | 430 |
| Worcester, MA | MA | $221,710 | 80 |
| Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | TN | $218,190 | 220 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $211,420 | 50 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $201,510 | 30 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | NJ | $200,150 | 60 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | PA | $200,150 | 220 |
Tech Stack
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How to Become Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Compliance Officers (Supplemental)
- Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers (Primary-Long)
- Labor Relations Specialists (Supplemental)
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Lawyers (Primary-Short)
- Judicial Law Clerks (Primary-Short)
- Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers (Primary-Short)
- Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates typically earn programs in:
Legal Professions and Studies
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 23-1023.00 (Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates).
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