23 Series · SOC 23-1022
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $75,530
- Median / year
- $155,440
- Top 10% earn
- +4.3%
- Growth '23–'33
- 9,210
- US workers
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators earn a median of $75,530 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $75,530, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $47,220 (10th percentile) to $155,440 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 9,210 US workers. Illinois pays the most ($162,410), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators earn a median of $75,530, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 67% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Legal, it ranks #4 of 8 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.3% by 2033.
- $75,530
- Median annual wage
- Top 33%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #4 of 8
- in Legal
- 3.3×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Illinois at $162,410. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators (SOC 23-1022) pays a national median of $75,530 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $47,220 at the 10th percentile to $155,440 at the 90th, with a mean of $91,010 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 9,210 Americans work in this occupation across 24 reporting states and 33 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 300 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree, with less than 5 years of prior experience generally required and moderate-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. Illinois pays the highest state median at $162,410, which is +115% above the national figure. The top metro is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $129,180 - 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
$75,530
per year
Median Hourly
$36.31/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$91,010
average
Employment
9,210
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$75,530 Top 33% higher than 67% 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 Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 8 23-series occupations with growth data, Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators sits on the slower-growing side at +4.3% growth and $75,530 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+4.3%
About average
Annual Openings
300
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Work Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-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 Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Prepare written opinions or decisions regarding cases.
- ▸ Apply relevant laws, regulations, policies, or precedents to reach conclusions.
- ▸ Conduct hearings to obtain information or evidence relative to disposition of claims.
- ▸ Determine extent of liability according to evidence, laws, or administrative or judicial precedents.
- ▸ Rule on exceptions, motions, or admissibility of evidence.
- ▸ Confer with disputants to clarify issues, identify underlying concerns, and develop an understanding of their respective needs and interests.
- ▸ Use mediation techniques to facilitate communication between disputants, to further parties' understanding of different perspectives, and to guide parties toward mutual agreement.
- ▸ Conduct initial meetings with disputants to outline the arbitration process, settle procedural matters, such as fees, or determine details, such as witness numbers or time requirements.
- ▸ Evaluate information from documents, such as claim applications, birth or death certificates, or physician or employer records.
- ▸ Research laws, regulations, policies, or precedent decisions to prepare for hearings.
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
$47,220
25th Percentile
$57,360
Median
$75,530
75th Percentile
$108,000
90th Percentile
$155,440
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 24 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $162,410 | +115% above national |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $110,300 | +46% above national |
| 3 | New Mexico | $110,180 | +46% above national |
| 4 | California | $97,680 | +29% above national |
| 5 | Colorado | $82,590 | +9% above national |
| 6 | Arizona | $82,150 | +9% above national |
| 7 | Virginia | $79,530 | +5% above national |
| 8 | Alabama | $76,810 | +2% above national |
| 9 | Michigan | $76,270 | +1% above national |
| 10 | North Carolina | $75,320 | same as national |
| 11 | New York | $70,800 | 6% below national |
| 12 | Ohio | $68,790 | 9% below national |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $67,890 | 10% below national |
| 14 | Montana | $64,980 | 14% below national |
| 15 | Kansas | $64,970 | 14% below national |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $63,770 | 16% below national |
| 17 | Tennessee | $62,140 | 18% below national |
| 18 | South Carolina | $58,990 | 22% below national |
| 19 | Maryland | $58,890 | 22% below national |
| 20 | Indiana | $57,390 | 24% below national |
| 21 | Puerto Rico | $50,960 | 33% below national |
| 22 | Texas | $50,940 | 33% below national |
| 23 | Louisiana | $46,100 | 39% below national |
| 24 | Oklahoma | $36,780 | 51% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 33 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $129,180 | +71% above national |
| 2 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $112,620 | +49% above national |
| 3 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $109,920 | +46% above national |
| 4 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $108,570 | +44% above national |
| 5 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $108,150 | +43% above national |
| 6 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $106,910 | +42% above national |
| 7 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $105,430 | +40% above national |
| 8 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $105,190 | +39% above national |
| 9 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $101,990 | +35% above national |
| 10 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $100,770 | +33% above national |
| 11 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $98,760 | +31% above national |
| 12 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $92,000 | +22% above national |
| 13 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $87,370 | +16% above national |
| 14 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $84,460 | +12% above national |
| 15 | Fresno, CA | $82,780 | +10% above national |
| 16 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $82,150 | +9% above national |
| 17 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $81,860 | +8% above national |
| 18 | Richmond, VA | $81,790 | +8% above national |
| 19 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $79,730 | +6% above national |
| 20 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $77,430 | +3% above national |
| 21 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $76,270 | +1% above national |
| 22 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $75,200 | same as national |
| 23 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $74,520 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Pittsburgh, PA | $65,590 | 13% below national |
| 25 | Madison, WI | $63,940 | 15% below national |
| 26 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $60,410 | 20% below national |
| 27 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $57,500 | 24% below national |
| 28 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $57,360 | 24% below national |
| 29 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $57,160 | 24% below national |
| 30 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $56,340 | 25% below national |
| 31 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $55,310 | 27% below national |
| 32 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $50,960 | 33% below national |
| 33 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $49,110 | 35% 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 Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators make? ▼
What state pays Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators? ▼
How dangerous is being a Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators? ▼
Is Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators a good career? ▼
How does Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $108,000/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: Illinois leads at $162,410/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.