United States · Pay by job · Legal
Judge and Magistrate salary and take-home pay
The typical US judge and magistrate earns $153,990 a year, or $74.03 an hour (BLS, May 2025). In Texas, where the median for this job is $139,990, a single filer keeps about $106,949 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates (SOC 23-1023). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does a judge and magistrate earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $46,950 | $22.57 | |
| 25th | $85,710 | $41.21 | |
| Median | $153,990 | $74.03 | |
| 75th | $194,950 | $93.73 | |
| 90th | $221,710 | $106.59 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $85,710 to $194,950 a year, and about 24,030 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).
Take-home pay tool
Judge and Magistrate · Texas · single · median
$106,949.17 a year after tax
$8,912.43 a month · $4,113.43 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $139,990.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$22,331.60 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$10,709.23 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $106,949.17 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $139,990 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does a judge and magistrate take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $46,950 | $39,904 | $38,468 | $37,732 |
| 25th | $85,710 | $69,127 | $64,431 | $64,694 |
| Median | $153,990 | $116,518 | $104,584 | $107,503 |
| 75th | $194,950 | $145,162 | $128,887 | $133,689 |
| 90th | $221,710 | $164,610 | $145,497 | $151,558 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does a judge and magistrate keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tennessee | $208,350 | $155,077 |
| 2 | New York | $216,390 | $148,260 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $204,160 | $140,267 |
| 4 | Florida | $186,040 | $138,520 |
| 5 | Alaska | $183,310 | $136,287 |
| 6 | Nevada | $166,360 | $124,973 |
| 7 | Texas | $139,990 | $106,949 |
| 8 | Washington | $134,270 | $101,177 |
| 9 | Georgia | $133,660 | $96,701 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $110,580 | $83,151 |
| 11 | Virginia | $104,000 | $76,828 |
| 12 | Ohio | $95,260 | $73,662 |
| 13 | Michigan | $51,210 | $41,402 |
Not ranked, because BLS released no median there: California, Illinois, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Dakota, Wyoming.
How much does a judge and magistrate earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $52,850 | 560 | not yet |
| Alaska | $183,310 | 140 | $136,287 (#5) |
| Arizona | $93,280 | 590 | not yet |
| Arkansas | not released | 240 | not yet |
| California | not released | not released | – |
| Colorado | $198,790 | 620 | not yet |
| Connecticut | $217,760 | 230 | not yet |
| Delaware | $131,340 | 120 | not yet |
| District of Columbia | not released | not released | not yet |
| Florida | $186,040 | 1,380 | $138,520 (#4) |
| Georgia | $133,660 | 1,190 | $96,701 (#9) |
| Hawaii | $211,810 | 120 | not yet |
| Idaho | $172,920 | 250 | not yet |
| Illinois | not released | not released | – |
| Indiana | $183,000 | 790 | not yet |
| Iowa | $147,510 | 410 | not yet |
| Kansas | $148,910 | 420 | not yet |
| Kentucky | $150,650 | 370 | not yet |
| Louisiana | $83,040 | 180 | not yet |
| Maine | $161,470 | 100 | not yet |
| Maryland | $172,190 | 170 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | $221,710 | 610 | not yet |
| Michigan | $51,210 | 570 | $41,402 (#13) |
| Minnesota | $190,110 | 590 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $49,960 | 360 | not yet |
| Missouri | not released | 600 | not yet |
| Montana | $84,630 | 70 | not yet |
| Nebraska | $208,180 | 160 | not yet |
| Nevada | $166,360 | 90 | $124,973 (#6) |
| New Hampshire | not released | not released | – |
| New Jersey | $204,160 | 920 | $140,267 (#3) |
| New Mexico | $205,400 | 250 | not yet |
| New York | $216,390 | 2,270 | $148,260 (#2) |
| North Carolina | not released | not released | – |
| North Dakota | $171,100 | 130 | not yet |
| Ohio | $95,260 | 1,720 | $73,662 (#12) |
| Oklahoma | not released | not released | not yet |
| Oregon | $166,400 | 40 | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $110,580 | not released | $83,151 (#10) |
| Rhode Island | $239,760 | 120 | not yet |
| South Carolina | $86,210 | 670 | not yet |
| South Dakota | not released | not released | – |
| Tennessee | $208,350 | 420 | $155,077 (#1) |
| Texas | $139,990 | 2,770 | $106,949 (#7) |
| Utah | $92,780 | 100 | not yet |
| Vermont | $194,170 | 80 | not yet |
| Virginia | $104,000 | 1,270 | $76,828 (#11) |
| Washington | $134,270 | 1,040 | $101,177 (#8) |
| West Virginia | $63,240 | 350 | not yet |
| Wisconsin | $76,620 | 130 | not yet |
| Wyoming | not released | not released | – |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for a judge and magistrate?
BLS expects jobs as a judge and magistrate to grow 2.8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 800 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- +2.8%
- Openings a year
- about 800
- Usual education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience
- 5 years or more
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
What do similar jobs pay?
The 7 legal jobs closest in pay to a judge and magistrate:
- Lawyer median $159,670
- Administrative Law Judge median $117,860
- Arbitrator and Mediator median $75,530
- Other Legal Support Worker median $72,110
- Judicial Law Clerk median $64,920
- Paralegal and Legal Assistant median $62,890
- Title Examiner median $58,650
Every job in the group: Legal jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $153,990, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $74.03 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $153,990, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about judge and magistrate pay
How much does a judge and magistrate make an hour?
The median is $74.03 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $41.21 to $93.73, and the top 10% earn $106.59 or more.
Which state pays a judge and magistrate the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, Rhode Island has the highest median for this job: $239,760 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, Tennessee leaves the most: $155,077 a year for a single filer on its median of $208,350.
What is a judge and magistrate’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $153,990, a single filer keeps about $116,518 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $104,584 in California and $107,503 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be a judge and magistrate?
BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the usual way in, with 5 years or more of work experience in a related job and short-term on-the-job training (a month or less).
Is the number of judge and magistrate jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as a judge and magistrate to grow 2.8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 800 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).