How much does a hearing officer make?
a year · about $57 an hour
A typical hearing officer in the United States makes $117,860 a year, about $57 an hour, about 2.3× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They study case files and laws, then run a hearing, listening to people, checking evidence, and keeping the process fair. Afterward, they weigh the facts, write a decision, and explain how someone can appeal.
Did you know? Social Security handles more than half a million hearing and appeal outcomes each year.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $61,110 and $207,480How do you become one?
Earn a bachelor’s degree and a J.D., pass a state bar exam, then practice law for years; five or more years is typical. Federal ALJs need a law license, but hiring rules vary, and some hearing-officer jobs differ.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like keeping things organized and leading and selling
Why does pay differ?
In the US, pay differs by government employer and location: federal, state, and local jobs have different pay systems, and federal ALJs get locality pay. Relevant legal experience, time in federal service, and management duties can also matter.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in District of Columbia ($181,060), lowest in Delaware ($56,830).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $61,110 | $117,860 | $207,480 | about 16,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $181,060 | about 300 |
| Indiana | $145,290 | about 70 |
| Alabama | $134,810 | about 70 |
| Maryland | $133,460 | about 430 |
| Wisconsin | $132,250 | about 60 |
Official definition: 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. Excludes “Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators” (23-1022).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/judges-and-hearing-officers.htm
- www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/23-1021.00
- www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-administration/fact-sheets/admin
- www.acus.gov/document/agency-recruitment-and-selection-administrative-law-judges
- www.ssa.gov/appeals
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY