How much does a judge make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $74.03 an hour or $12,830 a month.
- Hourly
- $74.03
- Average (mean)
- $143,800
- Jobs
- 24,030
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $46,950 | $22.57 | |
| 25th | $85,710 | $41.21 | |
| Median | $154,000 | $74.03 | |
| 75th | $195,000 | $93.73 | |
| 90th | $221,700 | $106.59 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| Rhode Island | $239,800 |
| Massachusetts | $221,700 |
| Connecticut | $217,800 |
| New York | $216,400 |
| Hawaii | $211,800 |
| Tennessee | $208,400 |
| Nebraska | $208,200 |
| New Mexico | $205,400 |
| New Jersey | $204,200 |
| Colorado | $198,800 |
| Vermont | $194,200 |
| Minnesota | $190,100 |
| Florida | $186,000 |
| Alaska | $183,300 |
| Indiana | $183,000 |
| Idaho | $172,900 |
| Maryland | $172,200 |
| North Dakota | $171,100 |
| Oregon | $166,400 |
| Nevada | $166,400 |
| Maine | $161,500 |
| Kentucky | $150,700 |
| Kansas | $148,900 |
| Iowa | $147,500 |
| Texas | $140,000 |
| Washington | $134,300 |
| Georgia | $133,700 |
| Delaware | $131,300 |
| Pennsylvania | $110,600 |
| Virginia | $104,000 |
| Ohio | $95,260 |
| Arizona | $93,280 |
| Utah | $92,780 |
| South Carolina | $86,210 |
| Montana | $84,630 |
| Louisiana | $83,040 |
| Wisconsin | $76,620 |
| West Virginia | $63,240 |
| Alabama | $52,850 |
| Michigan | $51,210 |
| Mississippi | $49,960 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| Providence, RI | $229,800 |
| Longview, WA | $228,300 |
| Boston, MA | $221,700 |
| Nashville, TN | $218,200 |
| Hartford, CT | $217,800 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $216,200 |
| Lincoln, NE | $208,200 |
| Omaha, NE | $208,200 |
| Atlantic City, NJ | $204,200 |
| New York, NY | $204,200 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $204,200 |
| Trenton, NJ | $204,200 |
| Denver, CO | $198,800 |
| Miami, FL | $196,900 |
| Tampa, FL | $196,900 |
In other countries
Judge belongs to the international group "Judges".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Lawyer$159,700
- Judicial Law Clerk$64,920
- Administrative Law Judge$117,900
- Arbitrator$75,530
Frequently asked questions
How much does a judge make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $74.03 ($154,000 a year).
How much does a judge make a month?
About $12,830 a month before tax, based on a median of $154,000 a year.
How much does a judge make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $46,950 or less a year ($22.57 an hour); the top 10% make $221,700 or more.
Which state pays judges the most?
Rhode Island, with a median of $239,800 a year, followed by Massachusetts ($221,700) and Connecticut ($217,800).
Which city pays judges the most?
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA, with a median of $229,800 a year.
How many judges are there in the United States?
About 24,030 people work as judges.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.