Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers salary in the U.S.
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers in the U.S. earn a median of $117,860 a year ($56.67 an hour), based on BLS data for 16,370 workers.
Pay ranges from $61,110 for the lowest-paid 10% to $207,480 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $125,990, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $61,110 | $29.38 |
| 25th percentile | $81,140 | $39.01 |
| Median | $117,860 | $56.67 |
| 75th percentile | $159,680 | $76.77 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $207,480 | $99.75 |
| Average (mean) | $125,990 | $60.57 |
Half of administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $9,821.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,910.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $4,533.08 |
| Weekly | $2,266.54 |
| Hourly | $56.67 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $117,860 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Louisiana | $126,440 | 140 |
| Minnesota | $126,360 | 120 |
| Iowa | $123,500 | 80 |
| Arizona | $123,240 | 300 |
| New York | $123,170 | 1,400 |
| Oklahoma | $122,930 | 90 |
| Washington | $122,390 | 330 |
| Colorado | $121,410 | 220 |
| Nebraska | $117,060 | 30 |
| Florida | $115,920 | 570 |
| Massachusetts | $113,750 | 270 |
| Tennessee | $107,740 | 380 |
| Hawaii | $106,480 | 50 |
| Illinois | $104,990 | 550 |
| Utah | $103,380 | 190 |
| Texas | $100,400 | 1,300 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,010 | 800 |
| Connecticut | $95,310 | 300 |
| South Carolina | $94,880 | 130 |
| Oregon | $89,220 | 480 |
| Puerto Rico | $88,530 | 40 |
| Nevada | $87,240 | 170 |
| Montana | $83,910 | 90 |
| New Mexico | $80,800 | 140 |
| Ohio | $79,000 | 690 |
| West Virginia | $78,870 | 90 |
| Maine | $75,960 | 120 |
| Georgia | $67,990 | 490 |
| Mississippi | $66,310 | 110 |
| Idaho | $65,050 | 110 |
| Arkansas | $63,660 | 340 |
| Delaware | $56,830 | 70 |
Best-paying metro areas for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Tallahassee, FL | $177,150 | 60 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $164,530 | 60 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $151,990 | 660 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $144,660 | 120 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $140,050 | 40 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $139,240 | 50 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $138,260 | 40 |
| Toledo, OH | $134,930 | 30 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $132,250 | 40 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $131,660 | 130 |
| Cleveland, OH | $131,440 | 110 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $131,160 | 80 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $130,960 | 1,230 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $130,940 | 260 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $130,270 | 180 |
Metro areas with the most administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,230 | $130,960 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 660 | $151,990 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 420 | $124,400 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 390 | $72,440 |
| Columbus, OH | 390 | $77,330 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 390 | $95,350 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 350 | $121,720 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 320 | $64,620 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 260 | $130,940 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 250 | $113,750 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 240 | $123,240 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 230 | $95,990 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 230 | $115,920 |
| Richmond, VA | 210 | $89,380 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 200 | $103,860 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | $159,670 | $76.76 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $153,990 | $74.03 |
| Judicial Law Clerk | $64,920 | $31.21 |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $75,530 | $36.31 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $62,890 | $30.24 |
| Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | $58,650 | $28.20 |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $72,110 | $34.67 |
More: Legal Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 23-1021. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers make in the U.S.?
The median salary for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in the U.S. is $117,860 a year, or $56.67 an hour. Pay ranges from $61,110 for the lowest-paid 10% to $207,480 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in the U.S. earn at least $207,480 a year. The top 25% earn $159,680 or more.
What is the starting pay for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $61,110 a year, and a quarter of administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers earn $81,140 or less.
How many administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers work in the U.S.?
About 16,370 administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.