Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers vs Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators: $118K vs $76K Median Pay

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers vs Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators: what changes?

Consider Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers if you want to conduct hearings to recommend or make decisions on claims concerning government programs or other government-related matters. Consider Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators if you would rather facilitate negotiation and conflict resolution through dialogue. Entry credentials differ: Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers, doctoral or professional degree; Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators, bachelor's degree. Prior experience in a related occupation is typically needed for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers (5 years or more) and Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators (less than 5 years).

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers and Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers

National median pay (2025): $117,860
Route into the job: Doctoral or professional degree; Prior related experience: 5 years or more; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: Prior related experience: 5 years or more.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Determine existence and amount of liability according to current laws, administrative and judicial precedents, and available evidence.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 500

Know before you choose

BLS lists 5 years or more of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

See the full Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers brief

Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators

National median pay (2025): $75,530
Route into the job: Bachelor's degree; Prior related experience: less than 5 years; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: Prior related experience: less than 5 years.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Prepare written opinions or decisions regarding cases.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 300

Know before you choose

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

See the full Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators brief

How the national numbers differ

Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators has the edge on projected growth

Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators is at 4.7% projected growth, compared with 0% projected growth for Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers.

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers has the edge on median pay

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers is at $117,860, compared with $75,530 for Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators.

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers has the edge on annual openings

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers is at 500 annual openings, compared with 300 annual openings for Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators.

37.8/ 100

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers

39.4/ 100

Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers vs Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators

Dimension	Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers	Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators
Median pay (2025)	$117,860	$75,530
Pay percentile	89.3 percentile	65.6 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	0%	4.7%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	500	300
2025 employment	17,400	10,500
How you qualify	Doctoral or professional degree; Prior related experience: 5 years or more; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	Bachelor's degree; Prior related experience: less than 5 years; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 5	Job Zone 5
Related work experience	Prior related experience: 5 years or more.	Prior related experience: less than 5 years.
On-the-job training	One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers brief Read Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators brief

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers vs Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers

Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators

How the national numbers differ

Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators has the edge on projected growth

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers has the edge on median pay

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers has the edge on annual openings

Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers vs Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators

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