Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates Salary
The median pay for a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL is $196,890/year ($94.66/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $123K at the entry level to $197K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $195,153 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,977/month, or 16.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $197K get you in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). 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.
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What this looks like in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater sits well above the national pay line for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates, local pay runs about 28% higher than the U.S. median of $154K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,977/month, 16.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $197K | $172K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $176K | $174K |
| Jacksonville | $174K | $175K |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $175K | $176K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Entry-level judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates (10th percentile) start around $123K. Mid-career wages sit at $197K. Top earners bring in $197K or more, a $74K 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Yes — at the median salary of $197K, rent takes 16.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,977/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates typically earn — is $123K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,377/month. At HUD’s $1,977/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is judges, magistrate judges, and magistrate a high-paying job in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Local pay is 28% above the national median — $197K here vs. $154K nationally.
How does Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater compare to the national average for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater pays $197K median vs. the U.S. average of $154K — that’s +28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $195K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates make in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL?
The median is $196,890 a year, that works out to about $95 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $122,950, and experienced judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates can clear $196,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $197K enough to live in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $12,218/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,977/month, which eats 16.2% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (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 $195,153 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.