How much does a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate make?

The median pay is $74.03 per hour — roughly $154,000 a year, with the real range running from about $22.57/hr (10th percentile) to $106.59/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate?

The typical entry-level education is: Doctoral degree. Overall preparation level: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).

What does a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate actually do all day?

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.

Legal

Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates

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.

What it pays
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates earn a median of $74.03/hr — about $154,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $22.57/hr; the top 10% earn $106.59/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually do

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.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Doctoral degree. Overall preparation: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).

The feel of the work

Time pressure is a real part of the job; it rewards working independently; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0% of judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are take-charge, organized and detail-focused and people-focused.

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Quick questions

How much does a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate make?: The median pay is $74.03 per hour — roughly $154,000 a year, with the real range running from about $22.57/hr (10th percentile) to $106.59/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate?: The typical entry-level education is: Doctoral degree. Overall preparation level: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).
What does a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate actually do all day?: 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.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.