Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers Salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
The median pay for a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $117,200/year ($56.35/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $198K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $127,808 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,318/month, or 17.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $117K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). 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.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $117K. Top earners bring in $198K or more, a $121K 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
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $181K | +57% | 300 |
| Alabama | $150K | +30% | 80 |
| Indiana | $144K | +25% | 70 |
| Minnesota | $135K | +17% | 160 |
| Wisconsin | $130K | +13% | 50 |
| Maryland | $127K | +10% | 410 |
| Missouri | $127K | +10% | 190 |
| Kansas | $127K | +10% | 40 |
| New Jersey | $126K | +9% | 320 |
| Michigan | $125K | +9% | 360 |
| Massachusetts | $125K | +8% | 110 |
| Oklahoma | $124K | +8% | 110 |
| Louisiana | $124K | +8% | 150 |
| New York | $123K | +6% | 1,390 |
| Washington | $122K | +6% | 320 |
| Nebraska | $121K | +5% | 30 |
| Arizona | $119K | +3% | 320 |
| Iowa | $117K | +1% | 90 |
| North Carolina | $115K | -0% | 250 |
| Florida | $114K | -1% | 560 |
| Tennessee | $110K | -4% | 390 |
| New Hampshire | $104K | -10% | 90 |
| West Virginia | $104K | -10% | 100 |
| Utah | $104K | -10% | 180 |
| Texas | $103K | -10% | 1,090 |
| Hawaii | $99K | -14% | 50 |
| Illinois | $96K | -16% | 590 |
| Pennsylvania | $96K | -17% | 760 |
| Virginia | $94K | -19% | 610 |
| South Carolina | $90K | -22% | 130 |
| Oregon | $89K | -23% | 470 |
| Connecticut | $88K | -24% | 280 |
| Nevada | $85K | -26% | 190 |
| Montana | $78K | -33% | 90 |
| Mississippi | $76K | -34% | 120 |
| Ohio | $75K | -35% | 750 |
| New Mexico | $66K | -43% | 170 |
| Georgia | $65K | -44% | 450 |
| Maine | $61K | -47% | 120 |
| Idaho | $58K | -49% | 110 |
| Kentucky | $58K | -50% | 370 |
| Delaware | $55K | -53% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $53K | -54% | 430 |
Showing 1–10 of 43 states
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 Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $117,200 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,530, and experienced administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers can clear $197,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $117K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,049/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 18.7% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (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 $127,808 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.