Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Salary
The median pay for a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is $204,160/year ($98.15/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $216K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $199,083 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,810/month, or 14.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $204K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington sits well above the national pay line for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates, local pay runs about 33% higher than the U.S. median of $154K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,810/month, 14.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington offers a genuinely strong financial position for judges, magistrate judges, and magistratess at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in metros near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $204K | $181K |
| Cleveland | $80K | $85K |
| Columbus | $104K | $109K |
| Cincinnati | $123K | $129K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $204K. Top earners bring in $216K or more, a $157K 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
Related careers in Legal
Frequently asked questions
Can a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Yes — at the median salary of $204K, rent takes 14.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,541/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Local pay is 33% above the national median — $204K here vs. $154K nationally.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $204K median vs. the U.S. average of $154K — that’s +33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $199K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $204,160 a year, that works out to about $98 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,020, and experienced judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates can clear $216,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $204K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $12,144/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 14.9% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (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 $199,083 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.