Starting Salaries for Judges

Judges preside over cases ranging from traffic violations to murder trials. Judges apply local, state and federal laws to the courts that they oversee. They sit for long periods of time and listen to testimonies, make rulings and explain important procedures. If you are interested in becoming a judge, know that judges typically begin as lawyers. In addition to earning a bachelor's degree, these highly trained professionals are required to complete three years of law school.

Starting Salary

• According to PayScale, the average starting salary for judges, magistrate judges or magistrates ranged between $30,521 and $60,148, as of November 1, 2010.

National Salary

• Annual wages for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates range from approximately $33,130 to a wage equal to or greater than $166,400 per year as of May 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest 10 percent of employees earn less than $33,130 and the top 10 percent of employees earn more than $166,400. Entry-level judges, magistrate judges or magistrates can expect to earn the lower part of the scale; more experienced judges, magistrate judges or magistrates may earn more.

Industries

• Entry-level employees will want to apply for a job within one of the industries that employs judges, magistrate judges or magistrates. The local government employed the highest number of judges, magistrate judges or magistrates and offered an annual mean wage of $85,310 as of May 2009. The state government offered the highest pay with $123,380.

Top-Paying States

• Judges, magistrate judges or magistrates are likely to receive highest pay in Rhode Island, which boasted an annual mean wage of $178,340 in May 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Other states with a higher mean wage included California, $168,810; Illinois, $156,710; Delaware, $131,730; and New Jersey, $131,400.

Metropolitan Areas

• Salaries for judges, magistrate judges or magistrates varied across metropolitan areas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Metropolitan areas may stretch across multiple states. In May 2009, judges, magistrate judges or magistrates in the Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, California Metropolitan Division earned an annual mean wage of $174,200. Other top paying metropolitan areas included Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, California, $173,320; Chicago, Naperville-Joilet, Illinois Metropolitan Division, $151,800; St. Louis, Missouri-Illinois, $146,810; and Atlantic City-Hammonton, New Jersey, $137,650.