Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Legal · SOC 23-1021 · O*NET 23-1021.00
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers fall under the Legal category in the U.S. occupational classification. Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers earn a median salary of $115,230 per year, ranking in the top 7% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -0.7% job growth through 2034, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree followed by a professional doctorate (such as MD, DO, JD, DDS, or PharmD), with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers earn?
The median annual wage for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers is $115,230. That puts administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers at #61 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. Pay at this level is well above the U.S. median household income, signaling sustained demand and meaningful credential requirements. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
Is administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers is -0.7%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 17K positions in 2024 to 17K in 2034, a net change of 0K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What education does my child need to become administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer?
Becoming a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer typically requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's, doctoral, or professional degree, plus state licensure or board certification depending on specialty. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
What is the median salary for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers?
The median annual salary for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers is $115,230 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers a growing career?
BLS projects -0.7% growth for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers from 2024 through 2034, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2034.
What education does my child need to become administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree followed by a professional doctorate (such as MD, DO, JD, DDS, or PharmD), plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers?
Related occupations within the Legal category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.