Judge salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a judge is $234,000 per annum, before tax, up $48,500 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Judicial salaries are set by statute and adjusted by independent remuneration tribunals, so the court you sit in and the level of the appointment decide the figure, with federal and higher court roles at the top of the range.
- There is no overtime, bonus or performance payment to negotiate, and the reading and judgment writing come with the position.
- If you are weighing up an appointment, check the superannuation arrangements attached to that court and whether the term runs to a fixed date or to retirement age, because these differ between jurisdictions.
The median salary rose by $48,500 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
How to negotiate a higher judge salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time judge salary is $234,000; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Legal research and Regulatory and administrative law tend to command a premium over general judge experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Judge salary questions
How much do judges earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a judge is $234,000 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is judge pay rising or falling?
The median judge salary is up $48,500 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
Related salaries
- Magistrate salary
- Barrister salary
- Patents Examiner salary
- Trade Mark Examiner salary
- Patent Attorney salary
- Judge's Associate salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.