Explore Jobs
Find Specific Jobs
Explore Careers
Explore Professions
Best Companies
Explore Companies
Judge salary
Average judge salary
$123,457
How much does a judge make?
The average judge salary in the United States is $123,457. Judge salaries typically range between $68,000 and $222,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for judges is $59.35 per hour.
Judge salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Judges earn the highest average salary in New Mexico.
Level up your salary
Let Zippi find your next Judge job
Level up your salary
Let Zippi find your next Judge job
Where can a Judge earn more?
Judge salary estimates from across the web
Average judge salary by state
The highest-paying states for judges are New Mexico, New Jersey, and New York. The lowest average judge salary states are Washington, Alaska, and Indiana.
- State View
- County View
Highest paying states for judges
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $153,754 | $73.92 |
| 2 | New York | $149,457 | $71.85 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | $137,488 | $66.10 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $149,783 | $72.01 |
| 5 | Texas | $141,565 | $68.06 |
| 6 | Michigan | $134,772 | $64.79 |
| 7 | Georgia | $132,264 | $63.59 |
| 8 | Florida | $127,071 | $61.09 |
| 9 | Illinois | $131,089 | $63.02 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $131,628 | $63.28 |
| 11 | Arkansas | $133,194 | $64.04 |
| 12 | Iowa | $127,508 | $61.30 |
| 13 | Nevada | $119,470 | $57.44 |
| 14 | Kansas | $129,655 | $62.33 |
| 15 | Utah | $122,615 | $58.95 |
| 16 | Missouri | $104,915 | $50.44 |
| 17 | Colorado | $107,631 | $51.75 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $105,918 | $50.92 |
| 19 | Oregon | $102,587 | $49.32 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $104,778 | $50.37 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $102,405 | $49.23 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $111,208 | $53.47 |
| 23 | Mississippi | $110,977 | $53.35 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $102,456 | $49.26 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $98,359 | $47.29 |
| 26 | Connecticut | $105,213 | $50.58 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $98,923 | $47.56 |
| 28 | Ohio | $94,952 | $45.65 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $89,635 | $43.09 |
| 30 | Delaware | $104,518 | $50.25 |
| 31 | Maryland | $102,925 | $49.48 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $101,640 | $48.87 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $96,083 | $46.19 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $97,081 | $46.67 |
| 35 | Alabama | $95,129 | $45.74 |
| 36 | Montana | $85,968 | $41.33 |
| 37 | California | $95,152 | $45.75 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $92,517 | $44.48 |
| 39 | Minnesota | $88,453 | $42.53 |
| 40 | Arizona | $90,503 | $43.51 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $92,402 | $44.42 |
| 42 | Alaska | $75,617 | $36.35 |
| 43 | Vermont | $93,067 | $44.74 |
| 44 | Maine | $72,242 | $34.73 |
| 45 | Washington | $75,673 | $36.38 |
| 46 | Wisconsin | $72,092 | $34.66 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $84,636 | $40.69 |
| 48 | Virginia | $81,297 | $39.09 |
| 49 | Idaho | $76,880 | $36.96 |
| 50 | Indiana | $73,625 | $35.40 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $57,481 | $27.64 |
Highest paying cities for judges
The highest-paying cities for judges are Jacksonville, FL, Memphis, TN, and Wheeling, WV.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacksonville, FL | $138,295 | $66.49 |
| 2 | Memphis, TN | $133,889 | $64.37 |
| 3 | Wheeling, WV | $113,405 | $54.52 |
| 4 | Littleton, CO | $108,111 | $51.98 |
| 5 | Montgomery, AL | $96,313 | $46.30 |
| 6 | Mesa, AZ | $90,714 | $43.61 |
| 7 | Saint Paul, MN | $88,558 | $42.58 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $75,907 | $36.49 |
Judge salary details
A judge's salary ranges from $68,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $222,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a judge's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $222,000 | $18,500 | $107 |
| 75th Percentile | $168,000 | $14,000 | $81 |
| Average | $123,457 | $10,288 | $59 |
| 25th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
| 10th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
Highest paying judge jobs
The highest paying types of judges are magistrate, county court judge, and lawyer.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Document Review Attorney | $81,181 | $6,765 | $39.03 | 9,393 |
| Lawyer | $115,808 | $9,651 | $55.68 | 2,897 |
| Housing Counselor | $78,730 | $6,561 | $37.85 | 33,639 |
Top companies hiring judges now:
Which companies pay judges the most?
Judge salaries at United States Courts and United States Marine Corps are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average judge salary at companies like Arapahoe County and Washington State University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Courts | $102,635 | $49.34 |
| 2 | United States Marine Corps | $102,144 | $49.11 |
| 3 | Arapahoe County | $74,321 | $35.73 |
| 4 | Washington State University | $71,215 | $34.24 |
| 5 | City of Mesa | $55,690 | $26.77 |
| 6 | Town of Marana | $52,733 | $25.35 |
| 7 | Minnesota State Fair | $52,435 | $25.21 |
| 8 | Caesars Entertainment | $40,223 | $19.34 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Judge salary by industry
The average judge salary varies across industries:
- The average judge salary in the media industry is $116,730, the highest of any industry.
- The average judge salary in the finance industry is $112,562.
- Judges in the education industry earn an average salary of $67,741, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for judges
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Media | $116,730 | $56.12 |
| 2 | Professional | $112,562 | $54.12 |
| 3 | Non Profits | $100,113 | $48.13 |
| 4 | Health Care | $95,095 | $45.72 |
| 5 | Government | $83,817 | $40.30 |
| 6 | Education | $67,741 | $32.57 |
High Paying Judge Jobs
Judge salary trends
The average judge salary has risen by $18,333 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average judge earned $105,124 annually, but today, they earn $123,457 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for judges over the last decade.
Compare judge salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average judge salary over time
Compare judge salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Columbus, OH
Judge salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $123,000 | $59.35 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $120,000 | $57.60 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | $117,000 | $56.34 | +0.1% |
| 2022 | $117,000 | $56.31 | +5.9% |
| 2021 | $110,000 | $52.96 | -0.8% |
Recently added judge salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wealth Management | Sanctuary Asks Judge To Reconsider Ruling IT Breached Evernest Contract | Chicago, IL | 12/16/2024 | $60,000 |
| Lawjournalpress | U.S. Bankruptcy Judge | Cove, UT | 12/16/2024 | $223,836 |
| United States Courts | U.S. Bankruptcy Judge | Salt Lake City, UT | 12/11/2024 | $223,836 |
| Fedbar | Judge | Pine, AZ | 12/11/2024 | $155,513 |
| State of Arkansas | Revocation Hearing Judge | North Little Rock, AR | 12/10/2024 | $69,776 |
| Arkansas Government Job | Revocation Hearing Judge | North Little Rock, AR | 12/09/2024 | $69,776 |
| Wealth Management | Sanctuary Asks Judge To Reconsider Ruling IT Breached Evernest Contract | Irvine, CA | 12/06/2024 | $60,000 |
| Remarkableohio | Columbus Main Library/Judge Noah Swayne Home | Columbus, OH | 12/06/2024 | $200,000 |
| New Jersey Courts | Judges Secretary 1 | Elizabeth, NJ | 11/27/2024 | $47,401 |
| United States Courts | Bankruptcy Judge | Tampa, FL | 10/24/2024 | $223,836 |
Search for judge jobs