Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers Salary
The median pay for a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in Cleveland, OH is $131,440/year ($63.19/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $83K at the entry level to $207K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.92), which stretches that salary to about $139,949 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,279/month, or 16% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $131K get you in Cleveland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cleveland’s Regional Price Parity (93.92). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
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What this looks like in Cleveland
Cleveland sits well above the national pay line for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $118K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,279/month, 15.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Cleveland offers a genuinely strong financial position for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in metros near Cleveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus | $77K | $81K |
| Akron | $93K | $100K |
| Cincinnati | $98K | $102K |
| Toledo | $135K | $148K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cleveland, OH
Entry-level administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers (10th percentile) start around $83K. Mid-career wages sit at $131K. Top earners bring in $207K or more, a $125K spread from bottom to top.
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $181K | +54% | 300 |
| Indiana | $145K | +23% | 70 |
| Alabama | $135K | +14% | 70 |
| Maryland | $133K | +13% | 430 |
| Wisconsin | $132K | +12% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $130K | +10% | 260 |
| Missouri | $130K | +10% | 160 |
| New Jersey | $128K | +9% | 330 |
| Michigan | $127K | +8% | 390 |
| Kansas | $127K | +7% | 40 |
| Louisiana | $126K | +7% | 140 |
| Minnesota | $126K | +7% | 120 |
| Iowa | $124K | +5% | 80 |
| Arizona | $123K | +5% | 300 |
| New York | $123K | +5% | 1,400 |
| Oklahoma | $123K | +4% | 90 |
| Washington | $122K | +4% | 330 |
| Colorado | $121K | +3% | 220 |
| Nebraska | $117K | -1% | 30 |
| Florida | $116K | -2% | 570 |
| Massachusetts | $114K | -3% | 270 |
| Tennessee | $108K | -9% | 380 |
| Hawaii | $106K | -10% | 50 |
| Illinois | $105K | -11% | 550 |
| Utah | $103K | -12% | 190 |
| Texas | $100K | -15% | 1,300 |
| Pennsylvania | $98K | -17% | 800 |
| Connecticut | $95K | -19% | 300 |
| South Carolina | $95K | -19% | 130 |
| Oregon | $89K | -24% | 480 |
| Nevada | $87K | -26% | 170 |
| Montana | $84K | -29% | 90 |
| New Mexico | $81K | -31% | 140 |
| Ohio | $79K | -33% | 690 |
| West Virginia | $79K | -33% | 90 |
| Maine | $76K | -36% | 120 |
| Georgia | $68K | -42% | 490 |
| Mississippi | $66K | -44% | 110 |
| Idaho | $65K | -45% | 110 |
| Arkansas | $64K | -46% | 340 |
| Delaware | $57K | -52% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 41 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cleveland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cleveland?
Yes — at the median salary of $131K, rent takes 15.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,279/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in Cleveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers typically earn — is $83K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,957/month. At HUD’s $1,279/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer a high-paying job in Cleveland?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $131K here vs. $118K nationally.
How does Cleveland compare to the national average for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers?
Cleveland pays $131K median vs. the U.S. average of $118K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $140K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers make in Cleveland, OH?
The median is $131,440 a year, that works out to about $63 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $82,620, and experienced administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers can clear $207,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $131K enough to live in Cleveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,118/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,279/month, which eats 15.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers salary go in Cleveland?
Cleveland has a Regional Price Parity of 93.92 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers salary is worth about $139,949 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.