Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers Salary
The median pay for a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $151,990/year ($73.07/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $207K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $139,594 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,246/month, or 25% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $152K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits well above the national pay line for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers, local pay runs about 29% higher than the U.S. median of $118K. Rent runs $2,246/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $131K | $125K |
| Richmond | $89K | $91K |
| Roanoke | $126K | $135K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $73K | $74K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $152K. Top earners bring in $207K or more, a $127K 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
Related careers in Legal
Frequently asked questions
Can a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Yes — at the median salary of $152K, rent takes 25.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,816/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay is 29% above the national median — $152K here vs. $118K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $152K median vs. the U.S. average of $118K — that’s +29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $140K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $151,990 a year, that works out to about $73 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $80,260, 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 $152K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,713/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 25.8% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers salary is worth about $139,594 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.