Bottom quarter
$240K
Federal Judge Salary in National (US)
What you should make. What you should ask for. Calculated from 1M+ data points, refreshed monthly.
Median
$247K
Top quarter
$250K
Top 10%
$252K
Federal pay scale. This band reflects the published GS / military rate. Locality is already baked in. See the math →
What this number means.
Federal Judge in National (US) pulls a median of $247,000 at mid-career, with a top-quartile band reaching $250,000 and the top 10% at $252,000. Federal pay scales already encode locality, so this band reflects the published rate without an additional cost-of-living adjustment. If you're up for review, the right ask sits at the top quarter of the band: $250,000.
How to negotiate this
- Anchor$250,000 — the top-quartile number. This is the number you say first.
- Target$248,500 — where a fair counter lands. Above the median, below the anchor.
- Floor$247,000 — below this, you're underpaid. Walking away gets cheaper than staying.
Carry the math. Not the maybe.
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Numbers are estimates. Your offer depends on the company, the level, the stock piece, and the conversation you're about to have. AMMO is a tool. You are the negotiator.