### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Judges and Hearing Officers Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			judges and hearing officers imageJudges and hearing officers research and apply laws to reach judgments or resolve disputes between parties.							
						Quick Facts:     Judges and Hearing Officers2023     Median Pay
            						$132,950     per year
										$63.92     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    Doctoral or professional degreeWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    5 years or moreOn-the-job Training
                                    Short-term on-the-job trainingNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    42,800Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    2% (As fast as average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    800What Judges and Hearing Officers Do
                                                
                        
                        
Judges and hearing officers oversee legal matters in court or administrative proceedings.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Judges and hearing officers are employed by the federal government or by local and state governments. Most judges and hearing officers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week.
            
                                                How to Become a Judge or Hearing Officer
                                                
                        
Judges and hearing officers typically need a law degree and work experience as a lawyer.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers was $111,090 in May 2023.									                                														The median annual wage for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates was $148,910 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Overall employment							of judges and hearing officers is projected to grow							 2 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
						About 1,700 openings for judges and hearing officers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for judges and hearing officers.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of judges and hearing officers with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about judges and hearing officers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Judges and Hearing Officers Do 
            

			Judges, mediators, and hearing officersJudges preside over hearings and listen to the arguments of opposing parties.			
Judges and hearing officers oversee legal matters in court or administrative proceedings. They may conduct pretrial hearings, facilitate negotiations between opposing parties, and issue legal decisions.
Duties
Judges and hearing officers typically do the following:
Research legal issues
Read and evaluate information from documents, such as motions, claim applications, and legal briefs
Preside over hearings and listen to and read arguments by opposing parties
Determine whether information presented supports a charge, claim, or dispute
Decide whether procedures are being conducted according to the rules and the law
Apply law or precedent to reach judgments and to resolve disputes between parties
Write opinions, decisions, and instructions regarding cases, claims, and disputesJudges commonly preside over trials and hearings of cases regarding nearly every aspect of society, from individual offenses to corporate disputes. Judges listen to arguments and determine whether there is sufficient evidence for a trial. In criminal cases, judges may decide that people charged with crimes should be held in jail until the trial, or they may set conditions for their release. They also approve warrants, such as for searches or arrests.
Judges interpret the law to determine how a trial or hearing will proceed. They ensure fairness so that the parties’ legal rights are protected. In trials where juries are selected to decide the case, judges instruct jurors on applicable laws and direct them to consider the facts arising from the evidence. In nonjury (bench) trials, judges decide the outcome. Judges also determine or oversee the final disposition of a case, such as imposing a jail sentence in a criminal trial or the awarding of compensation for damages in a civil lawsuit.
Hearing officers act in a quasi-judicial capacity. They interpret and apply administrative law to resolve disputes and settle claims involving government agencies or executive departments.
In many states, judges or hearing officers oversee proceedings in courts of specialized jurisdiction. These courts consider cases only in a specific area of law, such as land use, family law, or housing law.
The following are examples of types of judges and hearing officers:
***Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates*** preside over trials and hearings. They typically work in local, state, and federal courts.
In local courts, they may have titles such as *municipal court judge*, *county court judge*, or *justice of the peace*. In federal and state court systems, *district court judges* and *general trial court judges* have authority over any case in their system.
*Appellate court judges* rule on a limited number of cases by reviewing decisions of the lower courts to ensure that the proceedings were fair and that the proper law was applied.
***Administrative law judges,*** ***adjudicators, and hearing officers*** usually work for local, state, and federal government agencies. They decide many issues, such as whether a person is eligible for workers’ compensation benefits or whether employment discrimination occurred.
 Work Environment
			Judges, mediators, and hearing officersJudges do some of their work in courtrooms.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers held about 13,200 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers were as follows:
        State government, excluding education and hospitals
                58%Federal government
                25Local government, excluding education and hospitals
                17Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates held about 29,600 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates were as follows:
        State government, excluding education and hospitals
                57%Local government, excluding education and hospitals
                43Judges and hearing officers work mostly in offices and courtrooms. Their jobs can be demanding, because they must sit in the same position in the court or hearing room for long periods and give undivided attention to the process.
Some judges and hearing officers may be required to travel to different counties and courthouses throughout their state.
The work may be stressful, as judges and hearing officers sometimes work with difficult or confrontational individuals.
Work Schedules
Most judges and hearing officers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Some courthouses have evening and weekend hours. In addition, judges may have to be on call during nights or weekends to issue emergency orders, such as search warrants or restraining orders.
 How to Become a Judge or Hearing Officer

			Judges, mediators, and hearing officersJudges must pay attention in order to analyze information and issue rulings.			
Judges and hearing officers typically need a law degree and work experience as a lawyer. However, specific requirements may vary.
Most judges and magistrates must be appointed or elected to their positions, a process that often requires political support. Many local and state judges are appointed to serve fixed, renewable terms that may have mandatory retirement ages ranging from 65 to 75. Federal and some state judges are appointed for life. Judicial nominating commissions screen candidates for judgeships in many states and for some federal judgeships.
Education
A Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree is typically required for jobs as a local, state, or federal judge or hearing officer.
Earning a law degree usually takes 7 years of full-time study after high school: 4 years of undergraduate study in any field, followed by 3 years of law school. Law degree programs include courses such as constitutional law, contracts, property law, civil procedure, and legal writing.
Although a J.D. is typical, requirements for these positions may vary. Hearing officers, magistrates, and even judges in some jurisdictions are not required to have a law degree.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
Judges and hearing officers typically learn their skills through years of experience as practicing lawyers. Some states allow those who are not lawyers to hold limited-jurisdiction positions as judges, magistrates, or hearing officers, but opportunities are better for those with experience practicing law.
In addition to earning a law degree, federal administrative law judges typically need 7 years of experience as a licensed attorney. They also must pass a competitive exam from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Some law school graduates who are interested in becoming a judge pursue a judicial clerkship prior to working as a lawyer. Clerkships are typically a specified length of time, such as 1- or 2-year terms, and help law school graduates develop skills required for a legal career. Clerks may need to have passed the bar exam prior to hiring, but they may work without a law license because they have limited duties and are not yet practicing lawyers.
Training
Newly elected or appointed judges and hearing officers sometimes have training requirements. This training may include mock trial sessions, mentorship from experienced judges or hearing officers, and courses on topics such as judicial ethics or relations with news media.
Judges and hearing officers also may be required to take continuing legal education courses throughout their careers.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Judges typically must maintain a law license and good standing with their state bar association.
Advancement
Advancement for some judicial workers means moving to courts with broader jurisdiction, such as from lower court to appellate court. Advancement for various hearing officers includes taking on more complex cases, practicing law, and becoming district court judges.
Important Qualities
***Analytical skills.***Judges and hearing officers must be able to analyze large amounts of information, determine relevant facts, and make decisions or issue rulings.
***Attention to detail.*** Judges and hearing officers must pay close attention to what is presented and distinguish important facts from complex information.
***Communication skills.*** Judges and hearing officers need to convey information both orally and in writing. They must be able to explain their rulings and write decisions in ways that are both clear and comprehensive.
***Critical-thinking skills.*** Judges and hearing officers must objectively evaluate the facts of a case when applying the rules of law.
***Decision-making skills.*** Judges and hearing officers must be able to conclusively make decisions and issue rulings.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                        Judges and Hearing OfficersMedian annual wages, May 2023Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates$148,910  Judges and hearing officers$132,950  Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers$111,090  Legal occupations$99,220  Total, all occupations$48,060Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers was $111,090 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $53,140, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $195,000.The median annual wage for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates was $148,910 in May 2023. 


The lowest 10 percent earned less than $45,950, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $210,890.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Federal government
                $134,280State government, excluding education and hospitals
                93,930Local government, excluding education and hospitals
                93,690In May 2023, the median annual wages for judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        State government, excluding education and hospitals
                $164,820Local government, excluding education and hospitals
                99,460Most judges and hearing officers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Some courthouses have evening and weekend hours. In addition, judges have to be on call during nights or weekends to issue emergency orders, such as search warrants and restraining orders.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                       Judges and Hearing OfficersPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Legal occupations6%  Total, all occupations3%  Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates2%  Judges and hearing officers2%  Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers1%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Overall employment				of judges and hearing officers is projected to grow				 2 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
			
			About 1,700 openings for judges and hearing officers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
These workers play an essential role in the legal system, and their services will continue to be needed into the future. However, budgetary constraints in federal, state, and local governments may limit the ability of these governments to fill vacant judge and hearing officer positions or authorize new ones. If there are governmental budget concerns, this could limit the employment growth opportunities of hearing officers and administrative law judges working for local, state, and federal government agencies, despite the continued need for these workers to settle disputes.
			

                        Employment projections data for     judges and hearing officers, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Judges and hearing officers**
			—
			42,800
			43,600
			2
			800
			—**Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers**
			23-1021
			13,200
			13,400
			1
			100
			Get data**Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates**
			23-1023
			29,600
			30,200
			2
			700
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
					Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of judges and hearing officers. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators**
            Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators facilitate negotiation and dialogue between disputing parties to help resolve conflicts outside of the court system.
            Bachelor's degree
            $71,540**Lawyers**
            Lawyers advise and represent clients on legal proceedings or transactions.
            Doctoral or professional degree
            $145,760**Paralegals and Legal Assistants**
            Paralegals and legal assistants perform a variety of tasks to support lawyers.
            Associate's degree
            $60,970**Private Detectives and Investigators**
            Private detectives and investigators gather, analyze, and report information to clients regarding legal or personal matters.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $49,540
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about state courts and judgeships, visit
National Center for State Courts
For more information about federal judges, visit
United States Courts
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
For more information about judicial education and training for judges and other judicial branch personnel, visit
American Bar Association
Federal Judicial Center
The National Judicial College

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing OfficersJudges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Judges and Hearing Officers, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/judges-and-hearing-officers.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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