Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers vs. Lawyers: Who Earns More?
Lawyers out-earn Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers by $42K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers land at $117,860 and Lawyers at $159,670. The education gap is real: administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer programs typically require doctoral or professional degree, while lawyer programs require doctoral or professional degree. Top-paying state for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers is District of Columbia ($181,060); for Lawyers it's New York ($207,860).
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 Lawyers?
Lawyers earn more nationally. The median is $117,860 for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers versus $159,670 for Lawyers, a difference of $42K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.
Which has better job growth, Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers or Lawyers?
Lawyers has the better 10-year outlook at 4.1% 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 Lawyers?
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers typically requires doctoral or professional degree. Lawyers requires doctoral or professional degree. 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. Lawyers pay differ by state?
The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers earn $181,060 vs. $195,190 for Lawyers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.