Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in the U.S. is $117,860 ($56.67 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $117,860
- Mean annual wage
- $125,990
- Median hourly wage
- $56.67
- Employment
- 16,370
16,370 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $61,110 | $29.38 |
| 25th percentile | $81,140 | $39.01 |
| Median (50th) | $117,860 | $56.67 |
| 75th percentile | $159,680 | $76.77 |
| 90th percentile | $207,480 | $99.75 |
Highest-paying states for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $181,060 | 300 |
| Indiana | $145,290 | 70 |
| Alabama | $134,810 | 70 |
| Maryland | $133,460 | 430 |
| Wisconsin | $132,250 | 60 |
| North Carolina | $129,960 | 260 |
| Missouri | $129,670 | 160 |
| New Jersey | $128,320 | 330 |
| Michigan | $127,420 | 390 |
| Kansas | $126,570 | 40 |
Lowest-paying states
- Delaware: $56,830 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $63,660 median annual wage
- Idaho: $65,050 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $66,310 median annual wage
- Georgia: $67,990 median annual wage
About this occupation
Conduct hearings to recommend or make decisions on claims concerning government programs or other government-related matters. Determine liability, sanctions, or penalties, or recommend the acceptance or rejection of claims or settlements.
Typical tasks
- Authorize payment of valid claims and determine method of payment.
- Prepare written opinions and decisions.
- Conduct hearings to review and decide claims regarding issues, such as social program eligibility, environmental protection, or enforcement of health and safety regulations.
- Recommend the acceptance or rejection of claims or compromise settlements according to laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions.
- Review and evaluate data on documents, such as claim applications, birth or death certificates, or physician or employer records.
- Research and analyze laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions to prepare for hearings and to determine conclusions.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Doctoral or professional degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 0.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.7% |
| Some college, no degree | 0.7% |
| Associate's degree | 0.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 6.3% |
| Master's degree | 4.2% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 87.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.