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Judges

Earnings

Judges earned median annual salaries of $148,910 in May 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Salaries ranged from less than $45,950 to more than $210,890. Fifty percent of judges earned between $84,300 and $182,200.

According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, federal district court judges earned an average of $243,300 in 2024. Federal circuit judges averaged $257,900. The chief justice of the United States Supreme Court earned $312,200, while associate justices of the Supreme Court earned $298,500.

A survey conducted by the National Center for State Courts reports that 2024 average salaries for associate judges in the states' highest courts ranged from $120,000 to $291,094. Judges serving in intermediate appellate courts earned salaries that ranged from $105,000 to $272,902, and in general jurisdiction trial courts, salaries ranged from $89,600 to $243,300.

Judges usually receive paid vacations and holidays, sick leave, hospitalization and insurance benefits, and pension programs. Some employers also offer profit-sharing plans. Lawyers who have their own firms must provide their own benefits.

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