Legal
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators
Facilitate negotiation and conflict resolution through dialogue. Resolve conflicts outside of the court system by mutual consent of parties involved.
Median pay
$75,530
Growth to 2035
+5%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
300
Time to qualify*
2.5 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- Less than 5 years
Calculate your switch to arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators: 47% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Prepare written opinions or decisions regarding cases.
- Apply relevant laws, regulations, policies, or precedents to reach conclusions.
- Conduct hearings to obtain information or evidence relative to disposition of claims.
- Determine extent of liability according to evidence, laws, or administrative or judicial precedents.
- Rule on exceptions, motions, or admissibility of evidence.
- Confer with disputants to clarify issues, identify underlying concerns, and develop an understanding of their respective needs and interests.
- Use mediation techniques to facilitate communication between disputants, to further parties' understanding of different perspectives, and to guide parties toward mutual agreement.
- Conduct initial meetings with disputants to outline the arbitration process, settle procedural matters, such as fees, or determine details, such as witness numbers or time requirements.
Also called: Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator (ADR Coordinator) · Arbiter · Arbitrator · Divorce Mediator · Family Mediator · Federal Mediator · Labor Arbitrator · Labor Mediator
Outlook and AI
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators held 10,500 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 11,000 by 2035 (+5%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators vs. Administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators vs. Lawyer
- Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators vs. Labor relations specialist
- Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators vs. Judicial law clerk
- Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators vs. Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates
- Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators vs. Compliance officer
- Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators vs. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators vs. Social worker
- Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators vs. Financial specialists, all other
- Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators vs. Financial examiner