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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The Daily Work of Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates cover:
- 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.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates 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
Employment and Demand
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.
Pay by State
| 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
Pay for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| 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 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
| 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)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment 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
Education and Training
This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
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
Future judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates commonly pursue programs in:
Legal Professions and Studies
1 programs across 1 majors
References
This profile draws on 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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