Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers vs. Lawyers: Who Earns More?
Lawyerss out-earn Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officerss by $42K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officerss land at $117,860 and Lawyerss 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 Officerss is District of Columbia ($181,060); for Lawyerss 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 Officerss or Lawyerss?
Lawyerss earn more nationally. The median is $117,860 for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officerss versus $159,670 for Lawyerss, a difference of $42K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.
Which has better job growth, Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers or Lawyers?
BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.
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 Officerss get paid the most?
District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officerss 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 Officerss earn $181,060 vs. $195,190 for Lawyerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.