Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers is $117,860, or $56.67 per hour. About 16,370 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $181,060 in District of Columbia to $56,830 in Delaware.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 41 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $181,060 | $87.05 | 300 | 3.99 |
| 2 | Indiana | $145,290 | $69.85 | 70 | 0.21 |
| 3 | Alabama | $134,810 | $64.81 | 70 | 0.32 |
| 4 | Maryland | $133,460 | $64.16 | 430 | 1.49 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $132,250 | $63.58 | 60 | 0.19 |
| 6 | North Carolina | $129,960 | $62.48 | 260 | 0.50 |
| 7 | Missouri | $129,670 | $62.34 | 160 | 0.53 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $128,320 | $61.69 | 330 | 0.74 |
| 9 | Michigan | $127,420 | $61.26 | 390 | 0.84 |
| 10 | Kansas | $126,570 | $60.85 | 40 | 0.28 |
| 11 | Louisiana | $126,440 | $60.79 | 140 | 0.68 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $126,360 | $60.75 | 120 | 0.40 |
| 13 | Iowa | $123,500 | $59.38 | 80 | 0.51 |
| 14 | Arizona | $123,240 | $59.25 | 300 | 0.89 |
| 15 | New York | $123,170 | $59.22 | 1,400 | 1.37 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | $122,930 | $59.10 | 90 | 0.51 |
| 17 | Washington | $122,390 | $58.84 | 330 | 0.89 |
| 18 | Colorado | $121,410 | $58.37 | 220 | 0.71 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $117,060 | $56.28 | 30 | 0.31 |
| 20 | Florida | $115,920 | $55.73 | 570 | 0.55 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $113,750 | $54.69 | 270 | 0.70 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $107,740 | $51.80 | 380 | 1.09 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $106,480 | $51.19 | 50 | 0.77 |
| 24 | Illinois | $104,990 | $50.48 | 550 | 0.85 |
| 25 | Utah | $103,380 | $49.70 | 190 | 1.05 |
| 26 | Texas | $100,400 | $48.27 | 1,300 | 0.88 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $98,010 | $47.12 | 800 | 1.26 |
| 28 | Connecticut | $95,310 | $45.82 | 300 | 1.69 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $94,880 | $45.62 | 130 | 0.54 |
| 30 | Oregon | $89,220 | $42.90 | 480 | 2.34 |
| 31 | Nevada | $87,240 | $41.94 | 170 | 1.05 |
| 32 | Montana | $83,910 | $40.34 | 90 | 1.65 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $80,800 | $38.85 | 140 | 1.57 |
| 34 | Ohio | $79,000 | $37.98 | 690 | 1.19 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $78,870 | $37.92 | 90 | 1.16 |
| 36 | Maine | $75,960 | $36.52 | 120 | 1.73 |
| 37 | Georgia | $67,990 | $32.69 | 490 | 0.96 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $66,310 | $31.88 | 110 | 0.91 |
| 39 | Idaho | $65,050 | $31.27 | 110 | 1.17 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $63,660 | $30.60 | 340 | 2.46 |
| 41 | Delaware | $56,830 | $27.32 | 70 | 1.39 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers make?
The median annual wage for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in the United States is $117,860, or $56.67 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $61,110, and the top 10% earn $207,480.
How many administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers are employed in the U.S.?
About 16,370 people work as administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers nationwide.
Which state pays administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $181,060, followed by Indiana ($145,290) and Alabama ($134,810).
Which state pays administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers the least?
Delaware has the lowest median at $56,830.
Where are administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 3.99×.