Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers vs. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers: Who Earns More?
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers out-earn Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers by $114K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers land at $117,860 and Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers at $232,140. The education gap is real: administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer programs typically require doctoral or professional degree, while airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineer programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers is District of Columbia ($181,060); for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers it's Georgia ($618,090).
Pay by state
States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers median pay.
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.
Common questions
Who earns more, Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers earn more nationally. The median is $117,860 for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers versus $232,140 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, a difference of $114K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.
Which has better job growth, Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers has the better 10-year outlook at 3.9% projected growth, compared to -0.7% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.
Which requires more education, Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers or Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers?
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers typically requires doctoral or professional degree. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.
Where do Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers get paid the most?
District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers at $181,060/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.
How does Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers vs. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers pay differ by state?
The gap varies significantly by state. In Michigan, Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers earn $127,420 vs. $428,570 for Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.