SOC 23-1021 · Legal Occupations

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$117,860

U.S. median hourly wage$56.67

U.S. employment16,370

Nationally, administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers earned a median of $117,860 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 16,370 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

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Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers: pay and employment by state
State
District of Columbia	$181,060	$87.05	300	0.4
Indiana	$145,290	$69.85	70	0.0
Alabama	$134,810	$64.81	70	0.0
Maryland	$133,460	$64.16	430	0.2
Wisconsin	$132,250	$63.58	60	0.0
North Carolina	$129,960	$62.48	260	0.1
Missouri	$129,670	$62.34	160	0.1
New Jersey	$128,320	$61.69	330	0.1
Michigan	$127,420	$61.26	390	0.1
Kansas	$126,570	$60.85	40	0.0
Louisiana	$126,440	$60.79	140	0.1
Minnesota	$126,360	$60.75	120	0.0
Iowa	$123,500	$59.38	80	0.1
Arizona	$123,240	$59.25	300	0.1
New York	$123,170	$59.22	1,400	0.1
Oklahoma	$122,930	$59.10	90	0.1
Washington	$122,390	$58.84	330	0.1
Colorado	$121,410	$58.37	220	0.1
Nebraska	$117,060	$56.28	30	0.0
Florida	$115,920	$55.73	570	0.1
Massachusetts	$113,750	$54.69	270	0.1
Tennessee	$107,740	$51.80	380	0.1
Hawaii	$106,480	$51.19	50	0.1
Illinois	$104,990	$50.48	550	0.1
Utah	$103,380	$49.70	190	0.1
Texas	$100,400	$48.27	1,300	0.1
Pennsylvania	$98,010	$47.12	800	0.1
Connecticut	$95,310	$45.82	300	0.2
South Carolina	$94,880	$45.62	130	0.1
Oregon	$89,220	$42.90	480	0.2
Puerto Rico	$88,530	$42.56	40	0.0
Nevada	$87,240	$41.94	170	0.1
Montana	$83,910	$40.34	90	0.2
New Mexico	$80,800	$38.85	140	0.2
Ohio	$79,000	$37.98	690	0.1
West Virginia	$78,870	$37.92	90	0.1
Maine	$75,960	$36.52	120	0.2
Georgia	$67,990	$32.69	490	0.1
Mississippi	$66,310	$31.88	110	0.1
Idaho	$65,050	$31.27	110	0.1
Arkansas	$63,660	$30.60	340	0.3
Delaware	$56,830	$27.32	70	0.1

Pay by metro area

All 67 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

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Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
Tallahassee, FL	$177,150	$85.17	60	0.3
Kansas City, MO-KS	$164,530	$79.10	60	0.1
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$151,990	$73.07	660	0.2
Lansing-East Lansing, MI	$144,660	$69.55	120	0.6
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$140,050	$67.33	40	0.0
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$139,240	$66.94	50	0.1
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$138,260	$66.47	40	0.0
Toledo, OH	$134,930	$64.87	30	0.1
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$132,250	$63.58	40	0.0
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$131,660	$63.30	130	0.2
Cleveland, OH	$131,440	$63.19	110	0.1
St. Louis, MO-IL	$131,160	$63.06	80	0.1
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$130,960	$62.96	1,230	0.1
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$130,940	$62.95	260	0.2
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$130,270	$62.63	180	0.1
Jacksonville, FL	$129,960	$62.48	30	0.0
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$127,860	$61.47	150	0.1
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	$127,480	$61.29	70	0.2
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	$127,420	$61.26	30	0.1
Roanoke, VA	$126,440	$60.79	50	0.3
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$126,360	$60.75	120	0.1
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$126,010	$60.58	150	0.0
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	$124,530	$59.87	70	0.2
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$124,400	$59.81	420	0.1
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$123,240	$59.25	240	0.1
Winston-Salem, NC	$122,930	$59.10	40	0.2
Tucson, AZ	$121,890	$58.60	30	0.1
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$121,720	$58.52	350	0.1
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$121,410	$58.37	180	0.1
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$121,370	$58.35	120	0.1
Montgomery, AL	$119,430	$57.42	50	0.3
Syracuse, NY	$117,860	$56.67	30	0.1
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$117,560	$56.52	120	0.1
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$117,540	$56.51	70	0.1
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$115,960	$55.75	190	0.1
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$115,920	$55.73	230	0.2
Waco, TX	$115,920	$55.73	60	0.4
Knoxville, TN	$115,230	$55.40	40	0.1
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$113,750	$54.69	250	0.1
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$113,350	$54.50	200	0.2
Pittsburgh, PA	$111,970	$53.83	120	0.1
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	$109,470	$52.63	50	0.2
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$109,300	$52.55	70	0.1
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$107,620	$51.74	190	0.2
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$103,860	$49.93	200	0.4
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA	$100,110	$48.13	140	0.4
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$99,720	$47.94	110	0.1
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	$98,900	$47.55	90	0.1
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$97,530	$46.89	60	0.1
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$95,990	$46.15	230	0.4
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$95,350	$45.84	390	0.1
Rochester, NY	$93,520	$44.96	40	0.1
Akron, OH	$93,290	$44.85	60	0.2
Richmond, VA	$89,380	$42.97	210	0.3
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR	$88,530	$42.56	40	0.1
Lancaster, PA	$85,580	$41.15	30	0.1
Jackson, MS	$83,780	$40.28	60	0.2
Ogden, UT	$81,330	$39.10	50	0.2
Columbia, SC	$80,820	$38.86	100	0.3
Reading, PA	$79,510	$38.22	40	0.2
Columbus, OH	$77,330	$37.18	390	0.4
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$72,960	$35.08	50	0.1
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$72,440	$34.83	390	0.1
Lexington-Fayette, KY	$65,670	$31.57	60	0.2
Boise City, ID	$65,050	$31.27	80	0.2
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	$64,620	$31.07	320	0.9
Savannah, GA	$61,250	$29.45	30	0.2

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.