Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators (SOC 23-1022) earn a median $75,530 a year ($36.31 an hour) in the United States, with 9,210 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Illinois.
What arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators do
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators help parties resolve disputes outside the court system. A mediator or conciliator facilitates conversation and negotiation so that the parties can reach an agreement on their own, while an arbitrator hears both sides and issues a decision. Typical tasks include conducting hearings to obtain information and evidence about claims, applying relevant laws, regulations, policies, and precedents to reach conclusions, determining the extent of liability from the evidence, and preparing written opinions or decisions. Mediators confer with the disputants to clarify issues and identify underlying concerns, while arbitrators rule on exceptions, motions, and the admissibility of evidence. This occupation differs from judges, who decide cases in public courts, from administrative law judges and hearing officers, who work within government agencies, and from lawyers, who advocate for one party.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a first professional degree.
Also called: Arbitrator, Conciliator, Arbiter, Adjudicator, Arbitration Manager.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.70 | $27.58 | $36.31 | $51.92 | $74.73 | $43.76 | 9,210 |
| Annual | $47,220 | $57,360 | $75,530 | $108,000 | $155,440 | $91,010 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $36.63 | $40.38 | $78.08 | $78.46 | $78.46 | $63.12 | 80 | 0.01 | 0.22 |
| Annual | $76,190 | $83,990 | $162,410 | $163,190 | $163,190 | $131,290 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $33.70 | $41.56 | $53.03 | $60.77 | $82.21 | $54.84 | 150 | 0.21 | 3.61 |
| Annual | $70,100 | $86,440 | $110,300 | $126,410 | $170,990 | $114,080 | ||||
| New Mexico | Hourly | $29.12 | $32.72 | $52.97 | $74.84 | $91.35 | $55.68 | 40 | 0.05 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $60,570 | $68,060 | $110,180 | $155,670 | $190,010 | $115,810 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $27.03 | $36.14 | $46.96 | $58.49 | $152.73 | $56.77 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $56,220 | $75,170 | $97,680 | $121,670 | $317,680 | $118,080 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $18.55 | $31.19 | $39.71 | $47.49 | $59.57 | $40.14 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.18 |
| Annual | $38,580 | $64,870 | $82,590 | $98,780 | $123,910 | $83,500 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $23.00 | $23.29 | $34.04 | $49.12 | $62.27 | $38.51 | 1,050 | 0.11 | 1.84 |
| Annual | $47,830 | $48,450 | $70,800 | $102,170 | $129,520 | $80,090 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $19.56 | $27.84 | $32.64 | $40.42 | $47.15 | $34.47 | 310 | 0.05 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $40,680 | $57,900 | $67,890 | $84,070 | $98,070 | $71,690 | ||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 260 | 0.09 | 1.52 |
| Annual | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $24.67 | $32.07 | $36.67 | $52.74 | $63.23 | $41.15 | 190 | 0.04 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $51,300 | $66,700 | $76,270 | $109,700 | $131,520 | $85,590 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $25.79 | $31.45 | $39.49 | $48.29 | $63.06 | $39.84 | 160 | 0.05 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $53,650 | $65,410 | $82,150 | $100,440 | $131,150 | $82,860 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $37.62 | $49.17 | $62.11 | $62.11 | $79.59 | $63.30 | 130 | 0.11 | 1.89 |
| Annual | $78,250 | $102,260 | $129,180 | $129,180 | $165,540 | $131,660 | ||||
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | Hourly | $21.34 | $25.89 | $54.14 | $64.50 | $66.95 | $47.97 | 60 | 0.13 | 2.15 |
| Annual | $44,380 | $53,840 | $112,620 | $134,170 | $139,260 | $99,780 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $30.49 | $41.56 | $52.85 | $62.43 | $82.21 | $55.15 | 190 | 0.06 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $63,410 | $86,440 | $109,920 | $129,850 | $170,990 | $114,720 | ||||
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | Hourly | $37.14 | $41.23 | $52.20 | $63.40 | $68.29 | $52.04 | 30 | 0.23 | 3.93 |
| Annual | $77,240 | $85,760 | $108,570 | $131,870 | $142,050 | $108,250 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $30.74 | $48.58 | $52.00 | $62.66 | $73.56 | $56.03 | 200 | 0.09 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $63,940 | $101,040 | $108,150 | $130,330 | $153,010 | $116,550 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $23.17 | $29.38 | $37.23 | $47.57 | $60.40 | $39.68 | 600 | 0.06 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $48,200 | $61,120 | $77,430 | $98,950 | $125,630 | $82,530 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $22.41 | $23.74 | $27.09 | $32.78 | $38.08 | $29.90 | 210 | 0.05 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $46,610 | $49,380 | $56,340 | $68,180 | $79,210 | $62,190 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $30.74 | $48.58 | $52.00 | $62.66 | $73.56 | $56.03 | 200 | 0.09 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $63,940 | $101,040 | $108,150 | $130,330 | $153,010 | $116,550 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $30.49 | $41.56 | $52.85 | $62.43 | $82.21 | $55.15 | 190 | 0.06 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $63,410 | $86,440 | $109,920 | $129,850 | $170,990 | $114,720 | ||||
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | Hourly | $22.83 | $25.15 | $27.48 | $35.28 | $40.47 | $30.54 | 170 | 0.13 | 2.22 |
| Annual | $47,490 | $52,310 | $57,160 | $73,380 | $84,170 | $63,530 | ||||
Top industries employing arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators
Legal Services employ 37.5% of arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators nationally (3,450 jobs) at a median $71,430 a year ($34.34 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (16.8%) and State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (13.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Services NAICS 541100 | 3,450 | 37.5% | $71,430 | $34.34 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 1,550 | 16.8% | $92,790 | $44.61 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 1,240 | 13.5% | $81,330 | $39.10 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services NAICS 541900 | 940 | 10.2% | $75,620 | $36.35 |
| Individual and Family Services NAICS 624100 | 380 | 4.1% | $53,360 | $25.65 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (9,210). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $49,410 for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators in May 2021 and $75,530 in May 2025, with employment of 7,320 and 9,210.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $49,410 | $23.76 | 7,320 |
| May 2022 | $64,030 | $30.78 | 7,780 |
| May 2023 | $71,540 | $34.39 | 7,060 |
| May 2024 | $67,710 | $32.55 | 7,860 |
| May 2025 | $75,530 | $36.31 | 9,210 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
25 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois profile | $78.08 | $162,410 | $76,190 | $163,190 | 80 | 0.01 | 0.22 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $53.03 | $110,300 | $70,100 | $170,990 | 150 | 0.21 | 3.61 |
| 3 | New Mexico profile | $52.97 | $110,180 | $60,570 | $190,010 | 40 | 0.05 | 0.80 |
| 4 | California profile | $46.96 | $97,680 | $56,220 | $317,680 | ** | ** | ** |
| 5 | Colorado profile | $39.71 | $82,590 | $38,580 | $123,910 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.18 |
| 6 | Arizona profile | $39.49 | $82,150 | $53,650 | $131,150 | 160 | 0.05 | 0.85 |
| 7 | Virginia profile | $38.23 | $79,530 | $51,570 | $139,850 | 120 | 0.03 | 0.47 |
| 8 | Alabama profile | $36.93 | $76,810 | $44,770 | $112,790 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.32 |
| 9 | Michigan profile | $36.67 | $76,270 | $51,300 | $131,520 | 190 | 0.04 | 0.74 |
| 10 | North Carolina profile | $36.21 | $75,320 | $49,040 | $94,480 | 100 | 0.02 | 0.34 |
| 11 | New York profile | $34.04 | $70,800 | $47,830 | $129,520 | 1,050 | 0.11 | 1.84 |
| 12 | Ohio profile | $33.07 | $68,790 | $45,460 | $133,070 | 130 | 0.02 | 0.38 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania profile | $32.64 | $67,890 | $40,680 | $98,070 | 310 | 0.05 | 0.87 |
| 14 | Montana profile | $31.24 | $64,980 | $36,490 | $82,460 | 40 | 0.08 | 1.41 |
| 15 | Kansas profile | $31.24 | $64,970 | $44,410 | $76,960 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.42 |
| 16 | Rhode Island profile | $30.66 | $63,770 | $63,410 | $76,740 | ** | ** | ** |
| 17 | Tennessee profile | $29.88 | $62,140 | $51,250 | $93,270 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.26 |
| 18 | South Carolina profile | $28.36 | $58,990 | $47,720 | $74,350 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.55 |
| 19 | Maryland profile | $28.31 | $58,890 | $45,520 | $124,230 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.49 |
| 20 | Indiana profile | $27.59 | $57,390 | $48,730 | $98,760 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.33 |
| 21 | Texas profile | $24.49 | $50,940 | $18,080 | $78,930 | ** | ** | ** |
| 22 | Louisiana profile | $22.16 | $46,100 | $30,700 | $58,760 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.67 |
| 23 | Oklahoma profile | $17.68 | $36,780 | $33,420 | $47,490 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Missouri profile | * | * | * | * | 70 | 0.02 | 0.39 |
| – | Wisconsin profile | * | * | * | * | 260 | 0.09 | 1.52 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (23-1020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Legal Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 23-1022 Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 23-1022, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 23-1022.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.