Work through a pending motion
Go through a motion, a request for the court to decide something, and check each side's legal basis.
Career profile
Judge
Judges hear both sides, apply the law, and explain the reasoning behind each decision.
An attorney objects, and the judge decides whether the witness may answer the question. Outside court, judges weigh the arguments and reason out each decision.
A day in the life
Rule on an attorney's challenge
Hear why an attorney challenges a document or witness question, then decide whether that evidence can come in.
Instruct the jury on the law
In jury trials, explain the law and the questions jurors must decide from the evidence.
Write a reasoned decision
Put the decision in writing, tying relevant facts to the law and showing each step to the outcome.
Quick facts
Usually a law degree plus experience
United States
$153,990 median yearly
United States · May 2025
2.8% projected growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Usually a law degree plus experienceA professional law degree and work as a lawyer are typical; eligibility depends on the court.
Pay
$153,990 median yearlyEquivalent to $74.03 hourly for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates combined.
Outlook
2.8% projected growthAbout 800 openings annually for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates combined.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You want to understand an argument before deciding whether you agree.
- You enjoy explaining your reasoning in writing.
- You can stay calm while people disagree strongly.
Things to weigh
- Conflict and time pressure are regular parts of the work.
- Hearings demand long stretches of attention. Some judges also handle emergency orders at night or on weekends.
Where AI may help
Searchable legal databases help you find relevant cases. Tools that generate text—generative artificial intelligence (AI)—can also produce material for judicial work.
What people still lead
You remain responsible for the ruling. California's guidance tells judges using AI to check accuracy, address bias, and protect confidential information.
What we can’t predict yet
How much research and drafting AI will take over remains uncertain: useful output still has to withstand checking against the law and the case record.
Pay in context
Earnings
Judge-only pay is not reported separately here. These national figures cover judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates together.
The median and national spread
The median was $153,990 a year, equivalent to $74.03 an hour. The 10th-percentile annual wage was $46,950; the 90th was $221,710. These are points in the pay distribution, not starting and senior salaries.
Pay can follow the office
For federal judges appointed under Article III of the Constitution, salary does not vary with location or years served. More experience therefore does not automatically mean a higher salary in the same judicial office.
Openings include replacements
Employment is projected to grow 2.8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 800 openings a year on average across the combined occupation. Openings include replacement needs as well as growth; they are not a count of vacancies today.
Getting started
Practice law, then seek a state or local judgeship
Typically seven years of full-time education after high school, followed by legal experience.
- What the route involves
- Complete college and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) law degree, qualify to practice law, and build experience as a lawyer.
- What it can lead to
- This is the usual preparation for seeking judicial office through election or appointment.
- What to check
- A degree or law license does not make you a judge. Eligibility and selection rules depend on the office.
Seek appointment as a federal magistrate judge
- What the route involves
- Build a legal career and meet the eligibility criteria, including at least five years in good standing with a state or territory's highest-court bar. Candidates undergo merit-panel screening.
- What it can lead to
- District judges select magistrate judges to handle hearings, pretrial matters, and other judicial proceedings.
- What to check
- Meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee appointment. Magistrate judges exercise delegated authority; presiding over a civil trial requires all parties' consent.
Judging usually follows years as a lawyer. Some jurisdictions allow nonlawyer judges in limited-jurisdiction courts; check the specific office's rules.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get established on the bench
Use new-judge training and mentoring, where offered, to learn courtroom procedures and judicial ethics.
Build courtroom judgment
Develop clearer instructions and steadier handling of hearings while keeping your legal knowledge current.
Move toward appellate work
A later appointment or election to an appellate court can shift your work toward reviewing lower-court decisions. It is a separate selection, not an automatic promotion.
Where you can work
Trial courts
You hear witnesses and respond to objections as the evidence unfolds. Jury trials also require instructions that help jurors apply the law.
- Indoors
- Office
Federal appeals courts
You usually work with two other judges, reviewing the existing record and legal arguments. There is no jury or new witness testimony.
- Indoors
- Office
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
With a friend, invent a short library borrowing rule and a disputed late return. Have each person write one side's argument, then write a ruling tied to the rule. Notice whether you enjoy considering both sides and explaining a decision someone may dislike.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine. Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates — 23-1023.00. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Judges and Hearing Officers — duties, preparation, and advancement. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2025 national Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — SOC 23-1023; supplied facts binding. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment Projections Table 1.2, 2025–2035 — SOC 23-1023; supplied facts binding. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- United States Courts. Types of Federal Judges. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- United States Courts. Civil Cases. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- United States Courts. About the U.S. Courts of Appeals. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- Judicial Branch of California. Standard 10.80. Use of generative artificial intelligence by judicial officers. Accessed 2026-10-10.