Hiring Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators

What do arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators do?

• 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.

Core tasks, O*NET OnLine, 23-1022.00.

What does it take to become one?

Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

O*NET Job Zone 5, SVP (8.0 and above). O*NET OnLine.

Employers commonly list experience with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Access for this role.

What do arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators get paid?

BLS OEWS, May 2025 publishes a wage for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators in 29 of the metro areas in this build. The median ranges from $49,110 to $129,180 a year depending on the metro, with a midpoint of $81,790. This is what employers pay, place of work, not a single national figure and not what any one person takes home.

BLS OEWS, BLS OEWS, May 2025, SOC 23-1022.

What does hiring one cost?

The same as any role: tier, not location or salary, sets the fee. Across all six tiers the published range is $6,240 to $54,340 per search. For scale, the highest published median for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators in this build is $129,180. A contingency firm hiring at that level would bill roughly $25,836 to $38,754 on the first year salary alone, 20 to 30%.

Frequently asked

How fast can a arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators search fill?

23 to 35 days, 2 to 3x faster than a typical contingency search, per the recruiting provider's published figures.

What if the hire does not work out?

A 45-day replacement guarantee, at 50% off a repeat search for the same role.