The average annual salaries for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in the state of South Carolina are shown in Table 1. The comparison of the salary statistics of judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates amongst South Carolina cities is shown in Table 2. The salary statistics are based on the national compensation survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2022 and published in April 2023 [1].
| Percentile bracket | Average annual salary |
|---|---|
| 10th Percentile Wage | $27,410 |
| 25th Percentile Wage | $49,560 |
| 50th Percentile Wage | $79,850 |
| 75th Percentile Wage | $108,820 |
| 90th Percentile Wage | $186,890 |
Table 1 shows the average annual salary for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in South Carolina in 5 percentile scales. The average annual salary for the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) is $186,890. The median (50th percentile) annual salary is $79,850. The average annual salary for the bottom 10 percent is $27,410.
The table and chart below show the trend of the median salary of judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates from 2012 to 2022.
| Year | Median Salary | Yearly Growth | 10-Year Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $79,850 | 6.73% | 26.32% |
| 2021 | $74,480 | 8.62% | - |
| 2020 | $68,060 | 16.75% | - |
| 2019 | $56,660 | -7.66% | - |
| 2018 | $61,000 | 18.41% | - |
| 2017 | $49,770 | -5.42% | - |
| 2016 | $52,470 | -16.62% | - |
| 2015 | $61,190 | -4.67% | - |
| 2014 | $64,050 | 6.48% | - |
| 2013 | $59,900 | 1.79% | - |
| 2012 | $58,830 | - | - |
Table 3 shows the median annual salary of judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in some South Carolina cities and metropolitan areas. We note that the median annual salary of judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in state of South Carolina ranges from $28,940 to $99,270. The highest paying area for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in South Carolina is Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville with a median annual salary of $99,270. The second highest paying city/area in South Carolina State is Columbia (mean annual salary $92,260). The lowest paying area is Low Country South Carolina nonmetropolitan area with a median annual salary of $28,940.