Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers vs. Paralegals and Legal Assistants: Who Earns More?
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers out-earn Paralegals and Legal Assistants by $55K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers land at $117,860 and Paralegals and Legal Assistants at $62,890. The education gap is real: administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer programs typically require doctoral or professional degree, while paralegals and legal assistant programs require associate's degree. Top-paying state for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers is District of Columbia ($181,060); for Paralegals and Legal Assistants it's District of Columbia ($89,750).
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 Paralegals and Legal Assistants?
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers earn more nationally. The median is $117,860 for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers versus $62,890 for Paralegals and Legal Assistants, a difference of $55K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.
Which has better job growth, Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers or Paralegals and Legal Assistants?
Paralegals and Legal Assistants has the better 10-year outlook at 0.2% 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 Paralegals and Legal Assistants?
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers typically requires doctoral or professional degree. Paralegals and Legal Assistants requires associate's 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. Paralegals and Legal Assistants 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. $89,750 for Paralegals and Legal Assistants. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.