Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers Salary
The median pay for a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in West Virginia is $78,870/year ($37.92/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $188K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.03), which stretches that salary to about $88,588 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,008/month, or 19.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of West Virginia. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $79K get you in West Virginia?
About administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
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What this looks like in West Virginia
Pay for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in West Virginia runs about 33% below the U.S. median of $118K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,008/month, 19.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.03 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, West Virginia 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, West Virginia
Entry-level administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $188K or more, a $136K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when West Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officer afford a 2BR apartment alone in West Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 19.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,008/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 West Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,094/month. At HUD’s $1,008/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 West Virginia?
Local pay runs 33% below the national median — $79K here vs. $118K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does West Virginia compare to the national average for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers?
West Virginia pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $118K — that’s -33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — below the national median.
How much do administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers make in West Virginia?
The median is $78,870 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,570, and experienced administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers can clear $187,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in West Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,060/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,008/month, which eats 19.9% 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 West Virginia?
West Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.03 (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 $88,588 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.