# Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers

> Conduct hearings to recommend or make decisions on claims concerning government programs or other government-related matters. Determine liability, sanctions, or penalties, or recommend the acceptance or rejection of claims or settlements.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/administrative-law-judges-adjudicators-and-hearing-officers
- SOC code: 23-1021.00
- Career family: Legal
- Median annual pay: $117,860 (10th percentile $61,110, 90th percentile $207,480)
- Projected growth: Little or no change, 0.0%
- Openings a year: 500
- Typical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CEI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 0 |
| Investigative (I) | 50 |
| Artistic (A) | 12 |
| Social (S) | 34 |
| Enterprising (E) | 69 |
| Conventional (C) | 75 |

## What you'd do

- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 95/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 93/100)
- Getting Information (importance 90/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 84/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 82/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 81/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 80/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 79/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 75/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 74/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Judgment and Decision Making, Writing, Speaking, Active Learning, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Monitoring

## Knowledge

English Language, Law and Government, Administrative, Computers and Electronics, Customer and Personal Service, Administration and Management, Psychology, Mathematics, Education and Training, Public Safety and Security

## Also called

Adjudications Specialist, Adjudicator, Administrative Hearing Officer, Administrative Hearings Officer, Administrative Judge, Administrative Law Judge, Appeals Examiner, Appeals Officer, Appeals Referee, Appellate Conferee

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Law](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/2201) (CIP 2201, 182 colleges)

## Related careers

- [Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/judges-magistrate-judges-and-magistrates): $153,990 median pay
- [Judicial Law Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/judicial-law-clerks): $64,920 median pay
- [Lawyers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/lawyers): $159,670 median pay
- [Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/arbitrators-mediators-and-conciliators): $75,530 median pay
- [Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/claims-adjusters-examiners-and-investigators): $78,000 median pay
- [Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/equal-opportunity-representatives-and-officers): $80,730 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.