Career
Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
Hear cases and make rulings for government agencies.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Monitor and direct the activities of trials and hearings to ensure that they are conducted fairly and that courts administer justice while safeguarding the legal rights of all involved parties.
- Prepare written opinions and decisions.
- Conduct hearings to review and decide claims regarding issues, such as social program eligibility, environmental protection, or enforcement of health and safety regulations.
- Rule on exceptions, motions, and admissibility of evidence.
- Research and analyze laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions to prepare for hearings and to determine conclusions.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on information & systems, then persuasion & leadership?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Monitor and direct the activities of trials and hearings to ensure that they are conducted fairly and that courts administer justice while safeguarding the legal rights of all involved parties.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Writing.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
7–8 years of education after high school (doctoral or professional degree), for a median of $117,860 a year and 500 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- LawCIP 22.0101
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates$153,990 · +2.8%
- Judicial Law Clerks$64,920 · +2.8%
- Lawyers$159,670 · +4.7%
- Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators$75,530 · +4.7%
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$78,000 · -5.5%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.