Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Salary
The median pay for a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in Charlottesville, VA is $104,000/year ($50/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $214K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.15), that's roughly $104,892 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,824/month, or 27.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $104K get you in Charlottesville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charlottesville’s Regional Price Parity (99.15). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
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What this looks like in Charlottesville
Pay for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in Charlottesville runs about 32% below the U.S. median of $154K. Rent runs $1,824/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 99.15) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in metros near Charlottesville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $104K | $106K |
| Richmond | $104K | $106K |
| Roanoke | $91K | $97K |
| Lynchburg | $104K | $116K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charlottesville, VA
Entry-level judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $104K. Top earners bring in $214K or more, a $153K spread from bottom to top.
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $240K | +56% | 120 |
| Massachusetts | $222K | +44% | 610 |
| Connecticut | $218K | +41% | 230 |
| New York | $216K | +41% | 2,270 |
| Hawaii | $212K | +38% | 120 |
| Tennessee | $208K | +35% | 420 |
| Nebraska | $208K | +35% | 160 |
| New Mexico | $205K | +33% | 250 |
| New Jersey | $204K | +33% | 920 |
| Colorado | $199K | +29% | 620 |
| Vermont | $194K | +26% | 80 |
| Minnesota | $190K | +23% | 590 |
| Florida | $186K | +21% | 1,380 |
| Alaska | $183K | +19% | 140 |
| Indiana | $183K | +19% | 790 |
| Idaho | $173K | +12% | 250 |
| Maryland | $172K | +12% | 170 |
| North Dakota | $171K | +11% | 130 |
| Oregon | $166K | +8% | 40 |
| Nevada | $166K | +8% | 90 |
| Maine | $161K | +5% | 100 |
| Kentucky | $151K | -2% | 370 |
| Kansas | $149K | -3% | 420 |
| Iowa | $148K | -4% | 410 |
| Texas | $140K | -9% | 2,770 |
| Washington | $134K | -13% | 1,040 |
| Georgia | $134K | -13% | 1,190 |
| Delaware | $131K | -15% | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $111K | -28% | N/A |
| Virginia | $104K | -32% | 1,270 |
| Ohio | $95K | -38% | 1,720 |
| Arizona | $93K | -39% | 590 |
| Utah | $93K | -40% | 100 |
| South Carolina | $86K | -44% | 670 |
| Montana | $85K | -45% | 70 |
| Louisiana | $83K | -46% | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $77K | -50% | 130 |
| West Virginia | $63K | -59% | 350 |
| Alabama | $53K | -66% | 560 |
| Michigan | $51K | -67% | 570 |
| Mississippi | $50K | -68% | 360 |
Showing 1–10 of 41 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charlottesville numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charlottesville?
Yes — at the median salary of $104K, rent takes 28.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,824/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in Charlottesville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,663/month. At HUD’s $1,824/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate a high-paying job in Charlottesville?
Local pay runs 32% below the national median — $104K here vs. $154K nationally.
How does Charlottesville compare to the national average for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates?
Charlottesville pays $104K median vs. the U.S. average of $154K — that’s -32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.15), the purchasing-power equivalent is $105K — below the national median.
How much do judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates make in Charlottesville, VA?
The median is $104,000 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,050, and experienced judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates can clear $213,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $104K enough to live in Charlottesville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,341/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,824/month, which eats 28.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates salary go in Charlottesville?
Charlottesville has a Regional Price Parity of 99.15 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates salary is worth about $104,892 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.