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District court justice education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a district court justice. District court justices usually study law, business, or political science. 55% of district court justices hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 145 real district court justice resumes to see exactly what district court justice education sections show.

The most common colleges for district court justices are the University of South Florida and the University of South Florida.

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

What education do you need to become a district court justice?

What degree do you need to be a district court justice?

The most common degree for district court justices is bachelor's degree, with 55% of district court justices earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 12% and master's degree degree at 12%.
  • Bachelor's, 55%
  • Master's, 12%
  • Doctorate, 12%
  • Associate, 9%
  • Other Degrees, 12%

What should I major in to become a district court justice?

You should major in law to become a district court justice. 18% of district court justices major in law. Other common majors for a district court justice include business and political science.

Most common colleges for district court justices

District court justices often get their degrees at University of South Florida, University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus, and Ohio State University. Here are the most common colleges for district court justices in the US based on their resumes.
District court justice common collegePercentages
University of South Florida11.11%
University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus7.41%
Ohio State University7.41%
Georgetown University7.41%
Pennsylvania State University7.41%

Best majors for district court justices

RankMajorPercentages
1Law17.6%
2Business14.9%
3Political Science9.5%
4Criminal Justice8.1%
5International Relations6.8%

Best colleges for district court justices

The best colleges for district court justices are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A district court justice with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for district court justices. 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 district court justices.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

5. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

6. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

7. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$58,230

Enrollment

6,600

8. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

9. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

10. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

20 best online courses for district court justices

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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. Introduction to Key Constitutional Concepts and Supreme Court Cases

coursera

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...

3. Effective Legal Office Administration

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Effective Legal Office Administration...

4. Legal English

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4.5
(1,299)

Legal language and communication skills...

5. 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...

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

coursera

‘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. Criminology and Criminal Psychology Certified CSI+ Course

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Learn Criminal Law and Start your career with certification of Criminal Law and Criminal Psychology, Learn Criminology...

8. Criminal Law in 120 Minutes: A Fast Track Course

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A 2 hour fast track summary of Criminal Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...

9. Hot Topics in Criminal Justice

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The American criminal justice system is in need of reform. We incarcerate too many people. We pay insufficient attention to scientific advances that can help separate out the most and least culpable and dangerous. We grant the police far too much power to use force and technological surveillance. As a way of thinking about dealing with these problems, this course examines two over-arching issues: What should we do with people who have committed crime, and how should we identify who they are? On...

10. 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...

11. Ethnicity, Justice, and the People of God

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An Exploration into a Biblical Theology of Justice...

12. Employment Law Compliance Made Easy

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4.7
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A comprehensive course for management to understand key employment law issues in the workplace...

13. Cross-border road transport in EU law context

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Have you ever wondered which legal rules are applicable to cross-border EU road transport? Are you interested in the issues revolving around EU employment law in the international road transport sector? Then, on behalf of the University of Antwerp, Erasmus University Rotterdam, University of Gdańsk, University of Luxembourg and Tilburg University, we would like to welcome you to this MOOC on Cross-border Road Transport in EU law context. This MOOC is a part of the Erasmus + Project funded by...

14. Housing Justice: A View from Indian Cities

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This course will introduce learners to different approaches to thinking about housing justice, bringing together material, ecological, social and spatial approaches to thinking about housing. Rooting itself in Indian cities, but speaking more broadly to struggles for housing justice more globally, it will offer a diagnosis of what housing justice looks like as well as the modes and practices that can move us towards it ranging from activism and direct action to public policy and participatory...

15. Data Entry Skills: A Complete Data Entry Course from Scratch

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A Complete Guide to Data Entry Skills: Learn Data Entry Skills and become a Data Entry Pro & Get a Online Data Entry Job...

16. The Constitution and American Government

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History, Government, and Civics in the United States...

17. 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...

18. European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals

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The European Union is one of the world’s largest and most important economies. This six week course is the first in a series of three that will provide students with an insight into European Business Law. The series ranges from considering the basic structures and principles of the European Union to focusing on various specialized areas of law. Each course will give the students an understanding of the laws and policies that regulate the internal market of European Union, as well as relevant...

19. European Business Law

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The European Union is one of the world's largest and most important economies. This specialization is a 3-course bundle that will teach learners the fundamentals of European Business Law.\n\nIn the first course, Understanding the Fundamentals, the learner will examine core structures of the European Union and the main sources of law. This will include being able to understand relevant laws and regulations regarding the internal European Union market, understand how to apply the fundamental...

20. Human Health Risks, Health Equity, and Environmental Justice

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The fourth and final course of the Impacts of the Environment on Global Public Health specialization will cover two topics. The first is environmental justice – that is, avoiding an inequitable distribution of environmental health threats in our population, and ensuring a healthy and safe environment and health equity for all. The second is risk assessment and management, a framework that can be utilized to assess and quantify human health risks, and to identify appropriate approaches to...

Top 10 most affordable universities for district court justices

The most affordable schools for district court justices are University of Florida, suny farmingdale, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for district court justices 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 district court justices.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

8. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

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 district court justices

The hardest universities for district court justices to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for district court justices 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 district court justices 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,520

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

6. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

8. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

10. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for district court justices

The easiest schools for district court justices to get into are University of North Texas at Dallas, notre dame college, and nyack college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a district court justice 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 district court justices.

1. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

2. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

3. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

4. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

5. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

6. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

7. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

8. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

9. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

10. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

Average district court justice salary by education level

District court justice education levelDistrict court justice salary
Doctorate Degree$58,594

District court justice 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.