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The differences between judges and lawyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become a judge, becoming a lawyer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a judge has an average salary of $123,457, which is higher than the $115,808 average annual salary of a lawyer.
The top three skills for a judge include legal issues, civil law and international law. The most important skills for a lawyer are litigation, law firm, and legal issues.
| Judge | Lawyer | |
| Yearly salary | $123,457 | $115,808 |
| Hourly rate | $59.35 | $55.68 |
| Growth rate | -1% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 1,026 | 2,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 4 |
Judges are officials who conduct court proceedings. They sign arrest and search warrants, restraining orders, subpoenas, etc. When working on a case, the judges decide if the accused should be set free or sent to jail based on the presented evidence. They should be unbiased when listening to witnesses and examining evidence. They must show compassion and understanding to both sides and keep in mind that justice means more than just knowing the law. Additionally, their goal should only be finding the truth.
A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.
Judges and lawyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Judge | Lawyer | |
| Average salary | $123,457 | $115,808 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $222,000 | Between $64,000 And $208,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jacksonville, FL | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Mexico | New York |
| Best paying company | United States Courts | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough |
| Best paying industry | Media | - |
There are a few differences between a judge and a lawyer in terms of educational background:
| Judge | Lawyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Law | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between judges' and lawyers' demographics:
| Judge | Lawyer | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.3% Female, 49.7% | Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |