← All careers

Law & Government

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.

Median salary (BLS)

$153,990

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$47k – $222k

Job outlook

+3% (about average)

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $105,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Doctorate / professional (MD, JD, PhD)

Plan my path to this →

How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$90,200–$415,000

Time to qualify

8.5 yr

Renewal

—

  1. 1

    Bachelor's degree

    Degree

    Four years at public in-state rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $11,610/yr, plus books. Private and out-of-state run higher; grant aid lowers most students' actual net price.

    $40,000–$150,000 · 4 years source

  2. 2

    Doctoral / professional degree (PhD, MD, JD…)

    Degree

    Three to seven years beyond the bachelor's. PhDs are often funded with a stipend; MD and JD programs are among the most expensive.

    $50,000–$260,000 · 4 years source

  3. 3

    Bar exam / state licensure / academy

    License

    Lawyers: the state bar exam. Public-safety roles: a training academy plus state certification.

    $200–$5,000 · 6 months · varies by state source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Intern

    Internship

    $36,000

    ~4 mos to advance

  2. Junior Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates

    Entry / Junior

    $46,950

    ~2 yrs to advance

  3. Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates

    Established

    $153,990

    ~3 yrs to advance

  4. Senior Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates

    Senior

    $187,850

Internships are a common on-ramp here — they speed up landing that first role and improve your odds, which is why the Safe and High-ceiling plans build one in.

Key skills

A typical 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.
  • •Write decisions on cases.
  • •Read documents on pleadings and motions to ascertain facts and issues.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Law & Government

Explore all

Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.