Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates preside over courts, interpret laws, and make decisions that affect people's lives and communities. You will need a doctoral degree in law and extensive preparation. Here is what the work involves and how to get there.
Pathly builds you a free, personalized roadmap and helps your counselor champion you along the way.
Judges and magistrates make decisions and solve problems in legal proceedings. You will get information from lawyers, witnesses, and evidence, then evaluate that information to determine compliance with laws and standards. You will work directly with the public, including defendants, plaintiffs, and jurors. The role requires you to stay current with legal knowledge and process complex information carefully. You will also write opinions and orders that explain your decisions and shape how the law is applied.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates earn a median of $153,990 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is steady. Employment is projected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as average for all occupations, with about 900 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
You will need a doctoral degree in law. This extensive preparation includes law school and typically passing a licensing exam before you can practice. Many judges begin their careers as lawyers, building experience in courtrooms and legal practice. Some positions require you to be elected or appointed, which may involve additional steps beyond your formal education. Your path may include years of legal practice before you become a judge or magistrate, depending on the jurisdiction and position type.
The route to the bench typically starts with law school and legal practice, so the timeline is substantial. If you are exploring whether this path fits your goals and timeline, Pathly can map the judge, magistrate judge, and magistrate path that fits you and work through it with your counselor to understand what comes next.
You are drawn to leadership and influence. You think strategically, make tough calls, and want to shape outcomes through authority and decision-making.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
Start with a quick quiz and assessments that surface your personality, your EQ, and what really motivates you, so your next steps are built around who you actually are.
Your free AI guide weighs this career against your strengths and goals, and surfaces the colleges, trades, and scholarships that match, so you know if it truly fits before you commit.
Get a personalized, step-by-step plan to reach this career, with the training, coursework, and credentials tracked in one place. Link your school or IEC and your counselor in the loop.
Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).