Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers
Machines can already do 51% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 69%. Most of the work is changing now.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 51% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 30% of them.
- Forecast: machines can already do half of its tasks, and 69% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 16,370 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $117,860 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 67% for contact with people.
- Also called: Adjudications Specialist, Adjudicator, Administrative Hearings Officer, Administrative Judge.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepare written opinions and decisions | 21% | 69% to 82% | |
| Conduct hearings to review and decide claims regarding issues, such as social program eligibility, environmental protection, or enforcement of health and safety regulations | 19% | 50% to 72% | |
| Review and evaluate data on documents, such as claim applications, birth or death certificates, or physician or employer records | 13% | 50% to 72% | |
| Research and analyze laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions to prepare for hearings and to determine conclusions | 10% | 70% to 82% | |
| Determine existence and amount of liability according to current laws, administrative and judicial precedents, and available evidence | 8% | 67% to 80% | |
| 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 | 7% | 9% to 26% | |
| Rule on exceptions, motions, and admissibility of evidence | 5% | 22% to 47% | |
| Recommend the acceptance or rejection of claims or compromise settlements according to laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions | 5% | 32% to 55% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates57% of tasks by 2035 · US median $153,990
- Lawyers61% of tasks by 2035 · US median $159,670
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists55% of tasks by 2035 · US median $66,270
- Customs and Border Protection Officers58% of tasks by 2035 · US median $76,210
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers?
Machines can already do half of its tasks. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers?
Machines can do 51% of the tasks of administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers today and 69% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 23-1021.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/administrative-law-judges-adjudicators-and-hearing-officers/