Judge education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a judge. Judges usually study law, political science, or business. 59% of judges hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 6,245 real judge resumes to see exactly what judge education sections show.

The most common colleges for judges are the University of Houston and the University of Houston.

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

What education do you need to become a judge?

What degree do you need to be a judge?

The most common degree for judges is bachelor's degree, with 59% of judges earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 17% and doctoral degree degree at 10%.

Bachelor's, 59%

Doctorate, 17%

Master's, 10%

Associate, 8%

Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a judge?

You should major in law to become a judge. 24% of judges major in law. Other common majors for a judge include political science and business.

Law, 24%

Political Science, 11%

Business, 11%

English, 6%

Other Majors, 48%

Most common colleges for judges

Judges often get their degrees at University of Houston, University of Florida, and University of Arizona. Here are the most common colleges for judges in the US based on their resumes.

Judge common college	Percentages
University of Houston	6.57%
University of Florida	5.93%
University of Arizona	5.93%
University of Maryland - College Park	5.72%
University of Texas at Austin	5.51%

Show more common judge colleges

Best majors for judges

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Law	23.6%
2	Political Science	10.9%
3	Business	10.7%
4	English	6.4%
5	Criminal Justice	5.7%

Show more common judge majors

Best colleges for judges

The best colleges for judges are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.

A 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 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 judges.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

3. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$53,430

Enrollment

5,963

6. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

7. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

9. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

10. University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$53,391

Enrollment

8,568

20 best online courses for judges

Advertising disclosure

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2. An Introduction to American Law

This course will give you a glimpse into six different areas of American law: Tort Law, Contract Law, Property, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and Civil Procedure. You will gain insight into the complexities and dilemmas that arise from the application of law in different settings, and what is distinctive about American approaches...

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

4.6

(414)

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

4. Effective Legal Office Administration

4.5

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5. A Law Student's Toolkit

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6. European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals

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...

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9. American Contract Law II

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10. Privacy Law and HIPAA

What does it take to comply with privacy laws? In this course, we’ll look at the practical aspects of navigating the complex landscape of privacy requirements. Better understanding privacy laws and data protection will enable you to protect your organization and the constituents that depend on your organization to safeguard their personal information. First, we will examine the historical context that drove the creation of laws, best practices, and other standards for protecting personal...

11. English for Business and Law - Contract Law

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An English language course for business and law...

12. Law of Contracts in 60 Minutes: A Fast Track Course

(619)

A 60 minute fast track summary of the Law of Contracts, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...

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

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...

14. Privacy Law and Data Protection

15. Law: A Comprehensive Summary for LLB Students

4.2

(253)

An essential 24 hours of Video Lectures, Spider Graphs and Case Summaries made to guide LLB students preparing for exams...

16. Legal English

4.5

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Legal language and communication skills...

17. Cloud Computing Law

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18. Legal Tech and the Digital Transformation of Law

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...

19. Law of Attraction: Law of Attraction and your Perfect Life

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20. Cloud Computing Law: Data Protection and Cybersecurity

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Top 10 most affordable universities for judges

The most affordable schools for judges are Brigham Young University, inter american university of puerto rico bayamon, and inter american university of puerto rico aguadilla.

If the best universities for 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 judges.

1. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

2. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,940

Cost of attendance

13,508

3. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Aguadilla

Aguadilla, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,902

Cost of attendance

13,284

4. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus

San Juan, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

11,299

7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

8. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

9. SUNY at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,099

Cost of attendance

24,568

10. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Newark

Newark, NJ • Private

In-state tuition

$14,409

Cost of attendance

25,083

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for judges

The hardest universities for judges to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.

Some great schools for 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 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

4. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,517

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,516

7. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

8. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

9. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

10. Washington and Lee University

Lexington, VA • Private

Admissions rate

21%

SAT average

1,444

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

The easiest schools for judges to get into are University of North Texas at Dallas, barry university, and university of southern maine.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a 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 judges.

1. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,050

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

Camden, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,086

5. Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,111

6. Saint Thomas University

Miami Gardens, FL • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

1,031

7. Nova Southeastern University

Fort Lauderdale, FL • Private

Admissions rate

79%

SAT average

1,196

8. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Newark

Newark, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

63%

SAT average

1,105

9. Western New England University

Springfield, MA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,160

10. Pace University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

76%

SAT average

1,154

Average judge salary by education level

Judge education level	Judge salary
Doctorate Degree	$128,188

Judge education FAQs

What is the best college for Judges?

Have more questions? See all answers to common legal questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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