Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers
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.
What it pays
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers earn a median of $56.67/hr — about $118,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $29.38/hr; the top 10% earn $99.75/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers earn a median of $56.67/hr — about $118,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $29.38/hr; the top 10% earn $99.75/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Determine existence and amount of liability according to current laws, administrative and judicial precedents, and available evidence.
- Monitor and direct the activities of trials and hearings to ensure that they are conducted fairly and that courts administer justice while safeguarding the legal rights of all involved parties.
- Prepare written opinions and decisions.
- Authorize payment of valid claims and determine method of payment.
- Conduct hearings to review and decide claims regarding issues, such as social program eligibility, environmental protection, or enforcement of health and safety regulations.
- Research and analyze laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions to prepare for hearings and to determine conclusions.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Doctoral degree. Overall preparation: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).
The feel of the work
The work is mostly indoors; time pressure is a real part of the job; it rewards working independently. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0% of administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are organized and detail-focused, take-charge and analytical.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Lawyers
- Legal Support Workers, All Other
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants
- Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
- Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators
- Judicial Law Clerks
Quick questions
- How much does a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer make?
- The median pay is $56.67 per hour — roughly $118,000 a year, with the real range running from about $29.38/hr (10th percentile) to $99.75/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer?
- The typical entry-level education is: Doctoral degree. Overall preparation level: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).
- What does a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer actually do all day?
- Determine existence and amount of liability according to current laws, administrative and judicial precedents, and available evidence. Monitor and direct the activities of trials and hearings to ensure that they are conducted fairly and that courts administer justice while safeguarding the legal rights of all involved parties. Prepare written opinions and decisions.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.