Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Salary
The median pay for a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $198,790/year ($95.57/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $170K at the entry level to $220K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.78), so that salary is closer to $187,928 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,169/month, or 18.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $199K actually covers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Denver-Aurora-Centennial’s Regional Price Parity (105.78). 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial
Denver-Aurora-Centennial sits well above the national pay line for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates, local pay runs about 29% higher than the U.S. median of $154K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,169/month, 18.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.78), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, Denver-Aurora-Centennial offers a genuinely strong financial position for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in metros near Denver-Aurora-Centennial, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $113K | $110K |
| Tucson | $90K | $93K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates (10th percentile) start around $170K. Mid-career wages sit at $199K. Top earners bring in $220K or more, a $50K 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 annually. We'll email you when Denver-Aurora-Centennial numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate afford a 2BR apartment alone in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Yes — at the median salary of $199K, rent takes 18.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,169/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates typically earn — is $170K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $9,960/month. At HUD’s $2,169/month FMR, rent would take 22% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate a high-paying job in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Local pay is 29% above the national median — $199K here vs. $154K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $199K median vs. the U.S. average of $154K — that’s +29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $188K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $198,790 a year, that works out to about $96 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $170,080, and experienced judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates can clear $219,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $199K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $11,607/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,169/month, which eats 18.7% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 105.78 (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 $187,928 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.