Also called: Chief Justice
Sits on a state's highest court and has the final say on what that state's laws mean.
State supreme court justices hear the biggest legal questions in the state, like school funding or death-penalty cases. They also oversee the whole state court system and the rules for lawyers. Many are elected statewide.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Professional degree (MD, JD, DVM…), about 22 years after high school. Bachelor's, JD, bar license, and usually 10-15+ years as a practicing lawyer before appointment or election.
Ways in: 4-year college, Professional school. Training cost: Over $150k.
Majors to look at: Political Science, History, Philosophy.
Growing slowly (about 1% over 10 years). Very few seats; turnover is slow.
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps with research and drafting; final rulings on a state's biggest legal questions remain human and accountable.
Classes: AP U.S. Government, AP English Language, AP U.S. History, Speech and debate.
Official data: O*NET occupation 23-1023.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.