The average salary for a judge in the United States is around $136,910 per year.
Avg Salary
Judges earn an average yearly salary of $136,910.
Wages typically start from $39,110 and go up to $204,200.
93% above national average Updated in 2019
Judge earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level judge earnings begin at:
$98.17 per hour
$204,200 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level judge earnings begin at:
$79.48 per hour
$165,320 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level judge earnings begin at:
$65.82 per hour
$136,910 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level judge earnings begin at:
$37.46 per hour
$77,910 per year
10th percentile
Starting level judge earnings begin at:
$18.80 per hour
$39,110 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Judge salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Texas | $95,990 |
| Puerto Rico | $91,120 |
| South Dakota | $89,190 |
| New Mexico | $85,590 |
| Ohio | $77,070 |
| West Virginia | $62,510 |
| Louisiana | $61,950 |
| South Carolina | $61,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,630 |
| Oklahoma | $54,080 |
| Alabama | $49,610 |
| Iowa | $48,140 |
| Montana | $47,010 |
| Mississippi | $39,870 |
| California | $193,330 |
| Alaska | $191,850 |
| Hawaii | $188,870 |
| Rhode Island | $184,930 |
| Connecticut | $184,230 |
| Nevada | $167,610 |
| New Jersey | $167,400 |
| New York | $163,360 |
| Colorado | $158,580 |
| Maryland | $156,670 |
| Minnesota | $155,590 |
| Florida | $154,060 |
| Missouri | $151,720 |
| North Dakota | $145,970 |
| Indiana | $145,830 |
| Arkansas | $144,890 |
| Oregon | $137,740 |
| Kentucky | $135,610 |
| Wisconsin | $132,650 |
| Maine | $127,470 |
| Washington | $121,640 |
| Delaware | $115,440 |
| Idaho | $113,270 |
| Utah | $105,800 |
| Kansas | $105,400 |
| Tennessee | $104,150 |
| Georgia | $103,840 |
| Arizona | $103,610 |
How do judge salaries compare to similar careers?
Judges earn 32% more than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make more than special agents.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Judge salary | $137K |
| Hearing officer salary | $98K |
| Detective salary | $83K |
| Customs inspector salary | $83K |
| Special agent salary | $83K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)