23 Series · SOC 23-1021
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $117,860
- Median / year
- $207,480
- Top 10% earn
- -0.7%
- Growth '23–'33
- 16,370
- US workers
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers earn a median of $117,860 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $117,860, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $61,110 (10th percentile) to $207,480 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 16,370 US workers. District of Columbia pays the most ($181,060), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers earn a median of $117,860, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 90% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Legal, it ranks #3 of 8 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 0.7% by 2033.
- $117,860
- Median annual wage
- Top 10%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #3 of 8
- in Legal
- 3.4×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $181,060. Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers (SOC 23-1021) pays a national median of $117,860 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $61,110 at the 10th percentile to $207,480 at the 90th, with a mean of $125,990 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 16,370 Americans work in this occupation across 42 reporting states and 76 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -0.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Doctoral or professional degree, with 5 years or more of prior experience generally required and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.2 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $181,060, which is +54% above the national figure. The top metro is Tallahassee, FL at $177,150 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$117,860
per year
Median Hourly
$56.67/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$125,990
average
Employment
16,370
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$117,860 Top 10% higher than 90% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 23-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 8 23-series occupations with growth data, Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers sits on the slower-growing side at -0.7% growth and $117,860 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-0.7%
Declining
Annual Openings
500
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Work Experience
5 years or more
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.2/100K
Injury Rate
0.2/100
Danger Index
0.9/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Determine existence and amount of liability according to current laws, administrative and judicial precedents, and available evidence.
- ▸ Monitor and direct the activities of trials and hearings to ensure that they are conducted fairly and that courts administer justice while safeguarding the legal rights of all involved parties.
- ▸ Prepare written opinions and decisions.
- ▸ Authorize payment of valid claims and determine method of payment.
- ▸ Conduct hearings to review and decide claims regarding issues, such as social program eligibility, environmental protection, or enforcement of health and safety regulations.
- ▸ Research and analyze laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions to prepare for hearings and to determine conclusions.
- ▸ Review and evaluate data on documents, such as claim applications, birth or death certificates, or physician or employer records.
- ▸ Recommend the acceptance or rejection of claims or compromise settlements according to laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions.
- ▸ Rule on exceptions, motions, and admissibility of evidence.
- ▸ Explain to claimants how they can appeal rulings that go against them.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$61,110
25th Percentile
$81,140
Median
$117,860
75th Percentile
$159,680
90th Percentile
$207,480
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 42 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $181,060 | +54% above national |
| 2 | Indiana | $145,290 | +23% above national |
| 3 | Alabama | $134,810 | +14% above national |
| 4 | Maryland | $133,460 | +13% above national |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $132,250 | +12% above national |
| 6 | North Carolina | $129,960 | +10% above national |
| 7 | Missouri | $129,670 | +10% above national |
| 8 | New Jersey | $128,320 | +9% above national |
| 9 | Michigan | $127,420 | +8% above national |
| 10 | Kansas | $126,570 | +7% above national |
| 11 | Louisiana | $126,440 | +7% above national |
| 12 | Minnesota | $126,360 | +7% above national |
| 13 | Iowa | $123,500 | +5% above national |
| 14 | Arizona | $123,240 | +5% above national |
| 15 | New York | $123,170 | +5% above national |
| 16 | Oklahoma | $122,930 | +4% above national |
| 17 | Washington | $122,390 | +4% above national |
| 18 | Colorado | $121,410 | +3% above national |
| 19 | Nebraska | $117,060 | 1% below national |
| 20 | Florida | $115,920 | 2% below national |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $113,750 | 3% below national |
| 22 | Tennessee | $107,740 | 9% below national |
| 23 | Hawaii | $106,480 | 10% below national |
| 24 | Illinois | $104,990 | 11% below national |
| 25 | Utah | $103,380 | 12% below national |
| 26 | Texas | $100,400 | 15% below national |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $98,010 | 17% below national |
| 28 | Connecticut | $95,310 | 19% below national |
| 29 | South Carolina | $94,880 | 19% below national |
| 30 | Oregon | $89,220 | 24% below national |
| 31 | Puerto Rico | $88,530 | 25% below national |
| 32 | Nevada | $87,240 | 26% below national |
| 33 | Montana | $83,910 | 29% below national |
| 34 | New Mexico | $80,800 | 31% below national |
| 35 | Ohio | $79,000 | 33% below national |
| 36 | West Virginia | $78,870 | 33% below national |
| 37 | Maine | $75,960 | 36% below national |
| 38 | Georgia | $67,990 | 42% below national |
| 39 | Mississippi | $66,310 | 44% below national |
| 40 | Idaho | $65,050 | 45% below national |
| 41 | Arkansas | $63,660 | 46% below national |
| 42 | Delaware | $56,830 | 52% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
Lowest Paying Metros
View all 76 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tallahassee, FL | $177,150 | +50% above national |
| 2 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $164,530 | +40% above national |
| 3 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $151,990 | +29% above national |
| 4 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $144,660 | +23% above national |
| 5 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $140,050 | +19% above national |
| 6 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $139,240 | +18% above national |
| 7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $138,260 | +17% above national |
| 8 | Toledo, OH | $134,930 | +14% above national |
| 9 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $132,250 | +12% above national |
| 10 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $131,660 | +12% above national |
| 11 | Cleveland, OH | $131,440 | +12% above national |
| 12 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $131,160 | +11% above national |
| 13 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $130,960 | +11% above national |
| 14 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $130,940 | +11% above national |
| 15 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $130,270 | +11% above national |
| 16 | Jacksonville, FL | $129,960 | +10% above national |
| 17 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $127,860 | +8% above national |
| 18 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $127,480 | +8% above national |
| 19 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $127,420 | +8% above national |
| 20 | Roanoke, VA | $126,440 | +7% above national |
| 21 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $126,360 | +7% above national |
| 22 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $126,010 | +7% above national |
| 23 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $124,530 | +6% above national |
| 24 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $124,400 | +6% above national |
| 25 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $123,240 | +5% above national |
| 26 | Winston-Salem, NC | $122,930 | +4% above national |
| 27 | Tucson, AZ | $121,890 | +3% above national |
| 28 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $121,720 | +3% above national |
| 29 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $121,410 | +3% above national |
| 30 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $121,370 | +3% above national |
| 31 | Montgomery, AL | $119,430 | +1% above national |
| 32 | Syracuse, NY | $117,860 | same as national |
| 33 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $117,560 | same as national |
| 34 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $117,540 | same as national |
| 35 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $115,960 | 2% below national |
| 36 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $115,920 | 2% below national |
| 37 | Waco, TX | $115,920 | 2% below national |
| 38 | Knoxville, TN | $115,230 | 2% below national |
| 39 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $113,750 | 3% below national |
| 40 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $113,350 | 4% below national |
| 41 | Pittsburgh, PA | $111,970 | 5% below national |
| 42 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $109,470 | 7% below national |
| 43 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $109,300 | 7% below national |
| 44 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $107,620 | 9% below national |
| 45 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $103,860 | 12% below national |
| 46 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $101,570 | 14% below national |
| 47 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $100,110 | 15% below national |
| 48 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $99,720 | 15% below national |
| 49 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $98,900 | 16% below national |
| 50 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $97,530 | 17% below national |
| 51 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $95,990 | 19% below national |
| 52 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $95,350 | 19% below national |
| 53 | Rochester, NY | $93,520 | 21% below national |
| 54 | Akron, OH | $93,290 | 21% below national |
| 55 | Richmond, VA | $89,380 | 24% below national |
| 56 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $88,530 | 25% below national |
| 57 | Lancaster, PA | $85,580 | 27% below national |
| 58 | Jackson, MS | $83,780 | 29% below national |
| 59 | Ogden, UT | $81,330 | 31% below national |
| 60 | Columbia, SC | $80,820 | 31% below national |
| 61 | Reading, PA | $79,510 | 33% below national |
| 62 | Columbus, OH | $77,330 | 34% below national |
| 63 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $74,090 | 37% below national |
| 64 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $73,380 | 38% below national |
| 65 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $72,960 | 38% below national |
| 66 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $72,440 | 39% below national |
| 67 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $65,670 | 44% below national |
| 68 | Boise City, ID | $65,050 | 45% below national |
| 69 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $64,620 | 45% below national |
| 70 | Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $63,230 | 46% below national |
| 71 | Savannah, GA | $61,250 | 48% below national |
| 72 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $59,700 | 49% below national |
| 73 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $57,630 | 51% below national |
| 74 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $49,630 | 58% below national |
| 75 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $46,160 | 61% below national |
| 76 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $44,730 | 62% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 23 (legal) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers make? ▼
What state pays Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers? ▼
Is Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers a good career? ▼
How does Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $159,680/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $181,060/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.