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County court judge education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a county court judge. County court judges usually study law, criminal justice, or business. 51% of county court judges hold a bachelor's degree, and 20% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 104 real county court judge resumes to see exactly what county court judge education sections show.

The most common colleges for county court judges are the University of Akron and the University of Akron.

There are also many online county court judge courses to help get the education required to be a county court judge.

What education do you need to become a county court judge?

What degree do you need to be a county court judge?

The most common degree for county court judges is bachelor's degree, with 51% of county court judges earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 20% and doctoral degree degree at 14%.
  • Bachelor's, 51%
  • Doctorate, 20%
  • Associate, 14%
  • High School Diploma, 10%
  • Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a county court judge?

You should major in law to become a county court judge. 22% of county court judges major in law. Other common majors for a county court judge include criminal justice and business.

Most common colleges for county court judges

County court judges often get their degrees at University of Akron, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and Indiana University South Bend. Here are the most common colleges for county court judges in the US based on their resumes.
County court judge common collegePercentages
University of Akron8.33%
West Chester University of Pennsylvania8.33%
Indiana University South Bend8.33%
Catholic University of America8.33%
Syracuse University4.17%

Best majors for county court judges

RankMajorPercentages
1Law22.1%
2Criminal Justice19.1%
3Business11.8%
4Political Science8.8%
5Philosophy4.4%

Best colleges for county court judges

The best colleges for county court judges are Boston College, University of Chicago, and Northeastern University.

A county court judge with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for county court judges. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become county court judges.

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

2. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$58,230

Enrollment

6,600

3. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

4. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Enrollment

32,072

6. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,464

Enrollment

9,639

7. University of Richmond

University of Richmond, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$52,610

Enrollment

3,215

8. University of California - Davis

Davis, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,402

Enrollment

30,698

9. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

20 best online courses for county court judges

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1. International Law in Action: A Guide to the International Courts and Tribunals in The Hague

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International Law in Action explains the functions of each international court and tribunal present in The Hague, and it looks at how these institutions address contemporary problems. On the basis of selected cases, and through interviews with judges and lawyers, you will explore the role of these courts and tribunals and their potential to contribute to global justice. The first module of the course will investigate how judicial settlement is different from other more political forms of...

2. ERPO: A Civil Approach to Gun Violence Prevention Teach-Out

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Evidence shows that 1 life is saved for every 10-20 Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) issued. ERPOs are legally issued civil orders that allow people on the front lines to ask a court to prevent a person at imminent risk of harm to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing firearms during a critical period of risk. As of October 2020, ERPO laws have been enacted by nineteen states and the District of Columbia and while some aspects differ by state, the general process for applying...

3. Effective Legal Office Administration

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Effective Legal Office Administration...

4. Legal English

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(1,299)

Legal language and communication skills...

5. Introduction to Key Constitutional Concepts and Supreme Court Cases

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This course offers an introduction to the U.S. Constitution and landmark Supreme Court cases interpreting it. It explores the Constitution’s origins, its amendment over the years, and methods of constitutional interpretation. Topics include the nature and structure of the federal government, the powers of the federal government, and individual rights...

6. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes

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‘Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes’ is the second course in Leiden University’s new series on International Law in Action. The first course covered international courts and tribunals in The Hague in general. This second course provides an insider perspective into the work of international criminal courts and tribunals. You will learn about the investigation and prosecution of international crimes in The Hague. Atrocities produce unspeakable forms of violence. We will explore...

7. Professional Certification in Akashic Records (Accredited)

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Become a Professional Akashic Record Reader to access and modify records and soul contract ⚫ UK Accredited Qualification...

8. Employment Law Compliance Made Easy

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A comprehensive course for management to understand key employment law issues in the workplace...

9. Legal Tech and the Digital Transformation of Law

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The digital revolution changed the way we communicate and trade. Now, it is coming into the world of law. This program will give you a broad overview of the main trends that are affecting the legal industry: - The birth of the legal tech market and the application of technology in law. - The role of artificial intelligence in the automation of the work of lawyers. - Blockchain technology and its impact on the way we sign and execute contracts. - Initiatives to ensure access to justice through...

10. Clinical Trials Operations

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This specialization is designed for individuals and teams that will be running or interacting with clinical trials. In four courses, learners will develop insights and build the skills they need to design, manage, and monitor clinical trials as well as analyze, document, and communicate the results. Learners will also learn best practices regarding ethics, safety, participant recruitment, regulatory compliance, and reporting standards. The core principles and skills of the specialization will...

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Learn Logistics, Supply Chain and Customer Service. 3 Courses in 1...

12. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)

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Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...

13. Helping Families Avoid Negative Court Involvement Teach-Out

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This course will teach learners how to understand when issues can become legal issues, encourage learners to recognize legal problems early, identify possible “legal soft spots” in their own situations, and act when issues are identified to avoid them escalating. This course will also teach and encourage learners to think preventatively and provide some tools to use with an eye toward preventing future legal issues. Finally, this Teach-out seeks to expand the idea of legal health checks to a...

14. GST - Maintaining documents, accounts and records

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GST, being a transaction-level tax, requires certain documentation to be generated and maintained to comply with the law and curb malpractices. GST also has a stringent requirement for the maintenance of appropriate accounts and records. In this course, you will learn about E-invoices and E-waybills required to be generated at a transaction level. You will also learn about the accounts and records that are required to be maintained by businesses. This course provides a platform for learners...

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Google Apps for Education...

17. Clinical Trials Analysis, Monitoring, and Presentation

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In this course, you’ll learn more advanced operational skills that you and your team need to run a successful clinical trial. You’ll learn about the computation of sample size and how to develop a sample size calculation that’s suitable for your trial design and outcome measures. You’ll also learn to use statistical methods to monitor your trial for safety, integrity, and efficacy. Next, you’ll learn how to report the results from your clinical trials through both journal articles and data...

18. Executive Travel Planning for Virtual Assistants

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19. Customer Service Fundamentals: Putting People First

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20. Train the Trainer Foundation: Adult Education Mastery Course

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Deploy a repeatable system for employee learning to ensure you reach every learner…every time...

Top 10 most affordable universities for county court judges

The most affordable schools for county court judges are SUNY Farmingdale, brigham young university, and florida international university.

If the best universities for county court judges are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for county court judges.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

5. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

7. University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$8,178

Cost of attendance

20,934

8. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

9. John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,270

Cost of attendance

14,177

10. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Cost of attendance

25,275

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for county court judges

The hardest universities for county court judges to get into are Boston College, University of Chicago, and Northeastern University.

Some great schools for county court judges are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for county court judges based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

2. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,520

3. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

6. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,398

8. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

9. University of Richmond

University of Richmond, VA • Private

Admissions rate

30%

SAT average

1,401

10. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for county court judges

The easiest schools for county court judges to get into are University of North Texas at Dallas, nyack college, and gwynedd mercy university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a county court judge without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for county court judges.

1. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

2. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

3. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

4. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

5. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Camden

Camden, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,086

6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

7. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

8. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

9. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

10. Albertus Magnus College

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

931

Average county court judge salary by education level

County court judge education levelCounty court judge salary
Doctorate Degree$150,752

County court judge education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.