Career profile · SOC 23-1023

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.

Median salary
$156,210
per year
Growth outlook
Average
BLS 10-yr
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
AI exposure
6.7/10
automation risk

Salary distribution (US)

Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.

Bottom 10%
$50,670
25th %ile
$92,860
Median
$156,210
75th %ile
$199,380
Top 10%
$222,120

Top skills

Active Listening Critical Thinking Reading Comprehension Judgment and Decision Making Speaking Writing Complex Problem Solving Social Perceptiveness Active Learning

Knowledge you'll build

  • Law and Government
  • English Language
  • Administration and Management
  • Psychology
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Sociology and Anthropology

A day in the life

Your day starts in chambers reviewing case files, legal briefs, and motions filed by attorneys on both sides of a dispute. By mid-morning you are on the bench, presiding over hearings—ruling on objections, questioning witnesses, and making sure courtroom proceedings are fair and orderly. Lunch might be spent researching case law and precedent to prepare for an afternoon sentencing or civil trial ruling. The weight of the gavel is real; every decision you make affects people's lives, liberty, and livelihoods, and the responsibility of upholding justice keeps you sharp and humble.

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