Magistrate vs lawyer

The differences between magistrates 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 magistrate, becoming a lawyer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a magistrate has an average salary of $210,238, which is higher than the $115,808 average annual salary of a lawyer.

The top three skills for a magistrate include legal research, district court and legal issues. The most important skills for a lawyer are litigation, law firm, and legal issues.

Magistrate vs lawyer overview

	Magistrate	Lawyer
Yearly salary	$210,238	$115,808
Hourly rate	$101.08	$55.68
Growth rate	-1%	10%
Number of jobs	44	2,897
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	10	4

Magistrate vs lawyer salary

Magistrates and lawyers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Magistrate	Lawyer
Average salary	$210,238	$115,808
Salary range	Between $123,000 And $358,000	Between $64,000 And $208,000
Highest paying City	Port Saint Lucie, FL	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Texas	New York
Best paying company	U.S. District Court	Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between magistrate and lawyer education

There are a few differences between a magistrate and a lawyer in terms of educational background:

	Magistrate	Lawyer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Law	Law
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Magistrate vs lawyer demographics

Here are the differences between magistrates' and lawyers' demographics:

	Magistrate	Lawyer
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 49.6% Female, 50.4%	Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.5% 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%

Differences between magistrate and lawyer duties and responsibilities

Magistrate example responsibilities.

Issue various types of processes including: arrest warrants, summonses, search warrants, subpoenas, and civil commitments.
Prepare subpoenas and dockets for municipal court proceedings.
Issue various types of processes such as arrest warrants, summonses, bonds, search warrants, and medical detention orders.
Issue criminal and civil summonses.
Advise defendants of their rights, set bonds, and accept pleas.
Accept payments of bonds set by magistrates, and district and superior court judges.

Lawyer example responsibilities.

Participate in drafting legal documents and prepare business contracts, perform taxation duties for the enterprise and settle disputes with employees.
Handle all types of civil claims and provide notary services
Review of complaints relate to judicial ethics and employee misconduct.
Draft, proofread and ensure filing and service of criminal motions.
Draft a variety of pleadings and motions on behalf of the plaintiff.
Assist clients at the notary public office and negotiate licensing agreements for virtual data rooms.

Magistrate vs lawyer skills

Common magistrate skills

Legal Research, 16%
District Court, 12%
Legal Issues, 10%
Legal Principles, 9%
Phone Calls, 7%
Criminal History, 6%

Common lawyer skills

Litigation, 14%
Law Firm, 8%
Legal Issues, 7%
Real Estate, 6%
Legal Research, 6%
Civil Law, 5%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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