How much does an administrative law judge make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $56.66 an hour or $9,822 a month.
- Hourly
- $56.66
- Average (mean)
- $126,000
- Jobs
- 16,370
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $61,110 | $29.38 | |
| 25th | $81,140 | $39.01 | |
| Median | $117,900 | $56.66 | |
| 75th | $159,700 | $76.77 | |
| 90th | $207,500 | $99.75 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| District of Columbia | $181,100 |
| Indiana | $145,300 |
| Alabama | $134,800 |
| Maryland | $133,500 |
| Wisconsin | $132,300 |
| North Carolina | $130,000 |
| Missouri | $129,700 |
| New Jersey | $128,300 |
| Michigan | $127,400 |
| Kansas | $126,600 |
| Louisiana | $126,400 |
| Minnesota | $126,400 |
| Iowa | $123,500 |
| Arizona | $123,200 |
| New York | $123,200 |
| Oklahoma | $122,900 |
| Washington | $122,400 |
| Colorado | $121,400 |
| Nebraska | $117,100 |
| Florida | $115,900 |
| Massachusetts | $113,800 |
| Tennessee | $107,700 |
| Hawaii | $106,500 |
| Illinois | $105,000 |
| Utah | $103,400 |
| Texas | $100,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,010 |
| Connecticut | $95,310 |
| South Carolina | $94,880 |
| Oregon | $89,220 |
| Nevada | $87,240 |
| Montana | $83,910 |
| New Mexico | $80,800 |
| Ohio | $79,000 |
| West Virginia | $78,870 |
| Maine | $75,960 |
| Georgia | $67,990 |
| Mississippi | $66,310 |
| Idaho | $65,050 |
| Arkansas | $63,660 |
| Delaware | $56,830 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| Tallahassee, FL | $177,200 |
| Kansas City, MO | $164,500 |
| Washington, DC | $152,000 |
| Lansing, MI | $144,700 |
| Charlotte, NC | $140,100 |
| Providence, RI | $139,200 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $138,300 |
| Toledo, OH | $134,900 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $132,300 |
| Raleigh, NC | $131,700 |
| Cleveland, OH | $131,400 |
| St. Louis, MO | $131,200 |
| New York, NY | $131,000 |
| Baltimore, MD | $130,900 |
| Seattle, WA | $130,300 |
In other countries
Administrative Law Judge belongs to the international group "Judges".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Lawyer$159,700
- Judicial Law Clerk$64,920
- Arbitrator$75,530
- Judge$154,000
Frequently asked questions
How much does an administrative law judge make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $56.66 ($117,900 a year).
How much does an administrative law judge make a month?
About $9,822 a month before tax, based on a median of $117,900 a year.
How much does an administrative law judge make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $61,110 or less a year ($29.38 an hour); the top 10% make $207,500 or more.
Which state pays administrative law judges the most?
District of Columbia, with a median of $181,100 a year, followed by Indiana ($145,300) and Alabama ($134,800).
Which city pays administrative law judges the most?
Tallahassee, FL, with a median of $177,200 a year.
How many administrative law judges are there in the United States?
About 16,370 people work as administrative law judges.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.