Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates

SOC Code: 23-1023
Also known as:
Administrative Court Justice, Appellate Court Judge, Appellate Immigration Judge, Ballot Processing Judge, Bankruptcy Judge
Median Annual Salary
$156,210
+2.5% growth (2024-2034)
900
Openings/Year
27K
Current Jobs

What Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates Do

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.

💰 Salary

$156,210
Median annual wage (2024)

📈 Job Growth

+2.5%
As fast as average

🎓 Education

Doctoral or professional degree
Typical entry-level requirement

🚀 Annual Openings

900
Projected average per year

👔 Work Experience

5 years or more
Required before entry

📚 On-the-Job Training

Short-term on-the-job training
Expected training period

Employment Projections (2024-2034)

Current Employment (2024)

27,300

Projected Employment (2034)

28,000

Related Careers

Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists

$64,520 • +2.6% growth
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Lawyers

$151,160 • +4.1% growth
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Judicial law clerks

$60,400 • +2.5% growth
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Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers

$115,230 • -0.7% growth
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Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators

$67,710 • +4.3% growth
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Top Skills Required

Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Judgment and Decision Making
Writing

Daily Tasks & Responsibilities

  • 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.
  • Advise attorneys, juries, litigants, and court personnel regarding conduct, issues, and proceedings.
  • Research legal issues and write opinions on the issues.

Technology & Tools

Adobe Acrobat Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word

📚 Entry-Level Education

Doctoral or professional degree
Most common requirement

🎯 Recommended Education

Doctoral Degree
O*NET recommended level

Degree Programs for Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates

These degree programs can prepare you for a career as a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates:

Law

39,447 degrees awarded • 210 colleges offer this program
View Colleges →

Best Colleges for Becoming a Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates

Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees in related programs. These are the top-rated colleges that prepare students to become judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates.

# College Location Related Degrees Repit Grade
1 University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 372 A+
2 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 323 A+
3 Harvard University Cambridge, MA 622 A
4 New York University New York, NY 523 A
5 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY 523 A
6 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 411 A
7 University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA 408 A
8 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 305 A
9 University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA 298 A
10 Boston University Boston, MA 296 A
11 Northwestern University Evanston, IL 293 A
12 Emory University Atlanta, GA 290 A
13 Washington University in St Louis Saint Louis, MO 285 A
14 Duke University Durham, NC 277 A
15 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 265 A
16 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 220 A
17 Yale University New Haven, CT 215 A
18 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 208 A
19 Stanford University Stanford, CA 199 A
20 University of Chicago Chicago, IL 199 A

Want this ranking as a spreadsheet? Investor Pro+ members can export any Repit table to CSV. See plans →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates make?
The median annual salary for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates is $156,210.
What education do judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates need?
Most judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates positions require a doctoral or professional degree. Common degree programs include Law.
Is becoming judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates a good career choice?
Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates is projected to see +2.5% job growth from 2024 to 2034, which is about average for all occupations. With approximately 900 job openings expected annually, there are good opportunities for those entering the field.
What are the best colleges for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates?
Top colleges for aspiring judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates include University of California-Los Angeles, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Harvard University, New York University, Columbia University in the City of New York. These schools are ranked based on their Repit grade and the number of graduates in related programs.
What other job titles are similar to judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates?
Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates may also be known as: Administrative Court Justice, Appellate Court Judge, Appellate Immigration Judge, Ballot Processing Judge, Bankruptcy Judge, Chancery Master, Chief Judge, Circuit Court Judge, Circuit Judge, County Court Judge, County Judge, Court of Appeals Judge, Criminal Court Judge, Criminal Judge, District Court Judge, District Judge, Election Judge, General Magistrate, Immigration Judge, Judge. These titles often refer to similar roles with varying responsibilities or specializations.