Judges and hearing officers
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Judges and hearing officers in the United States earn a median salary of $153,990 per year — about $74 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 45K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +1%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core tasks of researching legal issues, evaluating documents, and writing opinions are highly digital and susceptible to AI automation, which can significantly increase productivity and reduce the need for human staff. However, the role requires high-stakes human judgment, presiding over physical courtrooms, and maintaining public trust, which creates a significant barrier to full automation.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longview-Kelso, WABEST VALUE | $228,330 | Average (97.5) | $234,077 |
| Lincoln, NE | $208,180 | Below avg (91.6) | $227,318 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $208,180 | Below avg (91.9) | $226,502 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $218,190 | Below avg (96.3) | $226,484 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $216,220 | Below avg (95.5) | $226,299 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $229,760 | Average (101.8) | $225,757 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $217,760 | Average (102.7) | $211,940 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $204,160 | Average (98.9) | $206,521 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $221,710 | Above avg (108.3) | $204,783 |
| Evansville, IN | $183,000 | Below avg (91.5) | $199,939 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $204,160 | Average (102.6) | $199,076 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $204,160 | Above avg (103.2) | $197,868 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $196,890 | Average (100.9) | $195,153 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $183,000 | Below avg (95.7) | $191,231 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $176,500 | Below avg (92.7) | $190,444 |