Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
SOC Code: 23-1021
Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers carries a 42% AI exposure score (High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $115,230 and -0.7% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 17,500 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 42% AI exposure, Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers sits 5 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 73% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Where Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers has ai exposure of 42%. Distribution: 1 occupations at 0-10%; 43 occupations at 10-20%; 184 occupations at 20-30%; 332 occupations at 30-40%; 158 occupations at 40-50%; 64 occupations at 50-60%; 29 occupations at 60-70%; 15 occupations at 70-80%; 5 occupations at 80-90%; 1 occupations at 90-100%.
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Occupation Insight
Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers (SOC 23-1021) carries an AI exposure score of 42%, placing it in the High automation-risk tier. This score is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each task an occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score in the 40–70% range indicates meaningful automation pressure on specific task categories, but the role as a whole still requires human judgment for coordination, exception handling, or client interaction.
The economic context matters alongside the risk score. BLS counted approximately 17,500 workers in this occupation in 2024, and projects a -0.7% change through 2034 - a decline that often compounds with high AI exposure to create displacement headwinds. Median annual compensation stands at $115,230, reflecting both skill scarcity and the value employers place on the tasks that remain difficult to automate. Entry typically requires Doctoral or professional degree, plus 5 years or more of related experience.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers. Public companies with meaningful exposure to this occupation, such as Gartner Inc and Visa Inc., inherit a share of the same automation risk through their industry classification. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure. Pair the AI exposure score with the BLS employment projection and wage percentiles above for a complete career assessment.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Determine existence and amount of liability according to current laws, administrative and judicial precedents, and available evidence.
- 2. Monitor and direct the activities of trials and hearings to ensure that they are conducted fairly and that courts administer justice while safeguarding the legal rights of all involved parties.
- 3. Prepare written opinions and decisions.
- 4. Authorize payment of valid claims and determine method of payment.
- 5. Conduct hearings to review and decide claims regarding issues, such as social program eligibility, environmental protection, or enforcement of health and safety regulations.
- 6. Research and analyze laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions to prepare for hearings and to determine conclusions.
- 7. Review and evaluate data on documents, such as claim applications, birth or death certificates, or physician or employer records.
- 8. Recommend the acceptance or rejection of claims or compromise settlements according to laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions.
- 9. Rule on exceptions, motions, and admissibility of evidence.
- 10. Explain to claimants how they can appeal rulings that go against them.
Key Skills Required
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Complex Problem Solving
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
Knowledge Areas
- Law and Government
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administrative
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Administration and Management
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- Therapy and Counseling
- Personnel and Human Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers?
Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers has an AI exposure score of 42%, indicating a high level of automation risk. Some tasks in this role can be augmented or partially automated by AI, but core responsibilities require human judgment.
What is the job outlook for Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers is projected to decline by 0.7% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 17,500 workers.
What skills are needed for Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers?
Key skills for Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, and others. Typical entry-level education is Doctoral or professional degree.
How much do Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers earn?
The median annual wage for Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers is $115,230, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers?
The typical entry-level education for Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers is Doctoral or professional degree. Employers generally expect 5 years or more of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Short-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers?
Public companies with significant Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers workforce shares include Gartner Inc, Visa Inc., Mastercard Inc, among others. These employers are mapped by industry classification (SIC/NAICS) to BLS occupation-industry employment distributions. See the full employer rankings for AI displacement risk grades.
Employers with High AI Exposure in This Occupation Group
Public companies whose industry occupation mix includes a significant share of Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers roles.
| Company | AI Grade | Risk Score |
|---|---|---|
| Gartner Inc | C | 47.9% |
| Visa Inc. | C | 47.9% |
| Mastercard Inc | C | 47.9% |
| Alibaba Group Holding Ltd | C | 47.9% |
| Uber Technologies, Inc | C | 47.9% |
| PDD Holdings Inc. | C | 47.9% |
| S&P Global Inc. | C | 47.9% |
| Accenture plc | C | 47.9% |
AI Exposure Rating
High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A moderate share of tasks may be augmented by AI tools.
Related Occupations
Career Guides
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Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).