Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Salary
The median pay for a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN is $156,550/year ($75.27/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $106K at the entry level to $183K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.07), which stretches that salary to about $168,207 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,272/month, or 13.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $157K get you in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Louisville/Jefferson County’s Regional Price Parity (93.07). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Louisville/Jefferson County
Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates pay in Louisville/Jefferson County tracks closely to the national median, $157K locally vs. $154K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,272/month, 13.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.07 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Louisville/Jefferson County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | $80K | $85K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $104K | $106K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $183K | $191K |
| Columbus | $104K | $109K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
Entry-level judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates (10th percentile) start around $106K. Mid-career wages sit at $157K. Top earners bring in $183K or more, a $77K 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 Louisville/Jefferson County numbers change.
Related careers in Legal
Frequently asked questions
Can a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Yes — at the median salary of $157K, rent takes 13.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in Louisville/Jefferson County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates typically earn — is $106K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,350/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 20% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate a high-paying job in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $157K locally vs. $154K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Louisville/Jefferson County compare to the national average for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates?
Louisville/Jefferson County pays $157K median vs. the U.S. average of $154K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.07), the purchasing-power equivalent is $168K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates make in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?
The median is $156,550 a year, that works out to about $75 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $105,840, 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 $157K enough to live in Louisville/Jefferson County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,291/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 13.7% 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 Louisville/Jefferson County?
Louisville/Jefferson County has a Regional Price Parity of 93.07 (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 $168,207 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.