Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers Salary
The median pay for a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in South Carolina is $94,880/year ($45.62/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $207K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.17), which stretches that salary to about $101,835 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,263/month, or 21.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $95K get you in South Carolina?
About administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
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What this looks like in South Carolina
Pay for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in South Carolina runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $118K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,263/month, 21.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.17 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, South Carolina can be a reasonable trade-off for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Carolina
Entry-level administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $95K. Top earners bring in $207K or more, a $152K spread from bottom to top.
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers salary by metro in South Carolina
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $81K | -15% | 100 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when South Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $95K, rent takes 21.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,263/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 South Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,329/month. At HUD’s $1,263/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer a high-paying job in South Carolina?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $95K here vs. $118K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does South Carolina compare to the national average for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers?
South Carolina pays $95K median vs. the U.S. average of $118K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — below the national median.
How much do administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers make in South Carolina?
The median is $94,880 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,480, 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 $95K enough to live in South Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,891/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,263/month, which eats 21.4% 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 93.17 (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 $101,835 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.