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Judges primarily officiate court proceedings. They are also responsible for signing restraining orders, subpoenas, and other legal documents. Federal judges in the United States have to be appointed or elected to their positions. People who aspire to become a Judge must run for their local elections, garner their state governor's approval, or be directly appointed by the United States President.
Most states require their Judges to have a college diploma, at least. We found that Judges commonly hold specialized degrees in Law, Criminal Justice, Legal Research, and Advanced Professional Studies. Because this is such a high-skill job, many candidates take more time to establish their expertise by pursuing a Master's degree or Doctorate in those fields.
On average, Judges in the United States earn a yearly salary of roughly $196,000. That's more or less $94 an hour. However, top earners can make as much as $265,000 a year.
Associate Professor of Paralegal Studies, Website
Avg. Salary $123,457
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate -1%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.31%
Asian 6.35%
Black or African American 5.52%
Hispanic or Latino 7.75%
Unknown 4.37%
White 75.70%
Genderfemale 49.65%
male 50.35%
Age - 45American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 45Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
| Skills | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Legal Issues | 18.24% |
| Civil Law | 14.52% |
| International Law | 13.86% |
| Legal Services | 12.41% |
| Defense Counsel | 12.08% |
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your judge resume.
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Now it's time to start searching for a judge job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

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The average judge salary in the United States is $123,457 per year or $59 per hour. Judge salaries range between $68,000 and $222,000 per year.
What am I worth?
As a civil litigation defense attorney I love the fact that every day is different. I enjoy assisting clients who have a problem to solve that problem in the most cost effective way, and how to avoid such problems in the future. I like that I basically set my own work schedule (other than court dates).