Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$61,110
- 25th Percentile — Junior$81,140
- 50th Percentile — Median$117,860
- 75th Percentile — Senior$159,680
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$207,480
The top 10% of Administrative Law Judges earn $207,480 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $61,110, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| California (est.) | $178,906 | +42.0% |
| District of Columbia | $171,730 | +36.3% |
| Alaska (est.) | $166,307 | +32.0% |
| Indiana | $154,990 | +23.0% |
| Alabama | $150,430 | +19.4% |
| Rhode Island (est.) | $144,888 | +15.0% |
| Wisconsin | $143,910 | +14.2% |
| New Hampshire (est.) | $143,629 | +14.0% |
| Kansas | $139,250 | +10.5% |
| Missouri | $138,730 | +10.1% |
| Virginia (est.) | $138,589 | +10.0% |
| Louisiana | $137,490 | +9.1% |
| Vermont (est.) | $136,069 | +8.0% |
| New Jersey | $133,870 | +6.3% |
| Maryland | $131,160 | +4.1% |
| Washington | $130,140 | +3.3% |
| Colorado | $129,600 | +2.9% |
| Oklahoma | $129,270 | +2.6% |
| Michigan | $128,760 | +2.2% |
| Nebraska | $128,540 | +2.0% |
| Florida | $126,380 | +0.3% |
| Massachusetts | $124,550 | -1.1% |
| Minnesota | $124,550 | -1.1% |
| New York | $123,150 | -2.3% |
| Iowa | $121,720 | -3.4% |
| North Carolina | $120,970 | -4.0% |
| Arizona | $119,550 | -5.1% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $117,171 | -7.0% |
| North Dakota (est.) | $115,911 | -8.0% |
| Illinois | $110,300 | -12.5% |
| South Dakota (est.) | $109,611 | -13.0% |
| South Carolina | $108,940 | -13.5% |
| Pennsylvania | $108,790 | -13.7% |
| Utah | $108,540 | -13.9% |
| Hawaii | $108,100 | -14.2% |
| Tennessee | $106,490 | -15.5% |
| Connecticut | $105,130 | -16.6% |
| Kentucky (est.) | $104,572 | -17.0% |
| Oregon | $102,760 | -18.4% |
| Nevada | $102,370 | -18.7% |
| Texas | $102,010 | -19.0% |
| New Mexico | $99,950 | -20.7% |
| Ohio | $98,990 | -21.4% |
| Mississippi | $96,930 | -23.1% |
| Georgia | $95,120 | -24.5% |
| West Virginia | $91,700 | -27.2% |
| Maine | $88,220 | -30.0% |
| Montana | $88,190 | -30.0% |
| Delaware | $76,560 | -39.2% |
| Arkansas | $74,670 | -40.7% |
| Idaho | $73,600 | -41.6% |
What Factors Affect Administrative Law Judges Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Administrative Law Judges is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $171,730, while Idaho pays $73,600 — a gap of $98,130 per year.
The middle half of Administrative Law Judges earn between $81,140 and $159,680 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $61,110, while the top 10% earn more than $207,480.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Lawyers $185,840/yr United States +47.5% vs this role
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants $69,700/yr United States 44.7% vs this role
- Judicial Law Clerks $72,950/yr United States 42.1% vs this role
- Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners $78,760/yr United States 37.5% vs this role
- Title Examiners Abstractors and Searchers $62,350/yr United States 50.5% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States 19.5% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +9.0% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Administrative Law Judges?
The average salary for Administrative Law Judges in the United States is $125,990 per year, with a median of $117,860.
What is the starting salary for Administrative Law Judges?
Entry-level Administrative Law Judges typically earn between $61,110 and $81,140 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Administrative Law Judges the most?
District of Columbia pays Administrative Law Judges the most at $171,730 per year on average, followed by Indiana ($154,990) and Alabama ($150,430).
How much do Administrative Law Judges make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $125,990, Administrative Law Judges earn approximately $60.57 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Administrative Law Judges a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 16,370 Administrative Law Judges jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $125,990 and a median of $117,860 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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