Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Salary
The median pay for a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $146,400/year ($70.38/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $183K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $141,326 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,781/month, or 20% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $146K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $146K locally vs. $154K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,781/month, 20.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $183K | $191K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $157K | $168K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $148K | $161K |
| Fort Wayne | $160K | $172K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $146K. Top earners bring in $183K or more, a $120K 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Yes — at the median salary of $146K, rent takes 20.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,766/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $146K locally vs. $154K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $146K median vs. the U.S. average of $154K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $141K — below the national median.
How much do judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $146,400 a year, that works out to about $70 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,760, and experienced judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates can clear $183,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $146K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,631/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 20.6% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates salary is worth about $141,326 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.