Official SSA Data

ALJ Statistics Trends

Historical trends in Social Security disability hearing statistics through July 2026.

12 months ending July 2026, compared against the 12 months ending July 2025

Key changes vs the 12 months ending July 2025

Approval Rate ↓ -1.2%

57.6%

vs 58.8% in the 12 months ending July 2025

Avg Wait Time ↓ +0.5 mo

8.4 months

vs 7.9 months in the 12 months ending July 2025

Active ALJs ↓ -123

1,000

vs 1,123 in the 12 months ending July 2025

Total Dispositions ↑ +34,800

425,438

vs 390,638 in the 12 months ending July 2025

National Approval Rate Over Time

Period comparison

12 months ending July 2025

Aug 2024 - Jul 2025

Approval Rate 58.8%

Active ALJs 1,123

Total Decisions 326,949

Total Awards 192,362

Avg Wait Time 7.9 months

Avg Processing Time 287 days

12 months ending July 2026

Aug 2025 - Jul 2026 Current

Approval Rate

57.6% -1.2%

Active ALJs

1,000 -123

Total Decisions 355,317

Total Awards 204,649

Avg Wait Time

8.4 months +0.5 mo

Avg Processing Time 267 days

Completed fiscal years

SSA fiscal years run October 1 through September 30. Listed once the year has ended and we hold data spanning it.

Fiscal year	Approval rate	ALJs	Decisions	Avg wait
FY 2025	58.3%	1,106	328,805	8 months
FY 2024	58.4%	1,186	354,582	8.5 months

Monthly Dispositions

Appeals Pipeline Trends

View Appeals Council Details →

Appeals Council Activity

Federal Court Cases

Understanding These Trends

What This Data Shows

These trends reflect aggregate statistics across all 1,194 Administrative Law Judges at 173 hearing offices. The data comes directly from SSA's public use files.

Monthly fluctuations are normal and can be caused by seasonal patterns, staffing changes, and administrative factors. Year-over-year comparisons provide a more reliable picture of systemic changes.

What This Means for Claimants

National trends provide context but don't predict individual case outcomes. Your case will be decided on its own merits by the specific judge assigned.

For more relevant information, check your specific hearing office or individual judge statistics.

Explore More Statistics

Browse Judges

Search 1,194 ALJs by name or location

Hearing Offices

View 173 offices by wait time

By State

Statistics for all 50 states + DC

Methodology

Data sources and calculations

Frequently Asked Questions

What time period does this trend data cover?

The headline figures cover the 12 months ending July 2026, compared against the 12 months ending July 2025. The monthly charts below show every month we hold. SSA publishes new figures monthly, roughly six weeks after a month ends, and we reload within a week of each release. See our methodology page for details.

How has the national approval rate changed?

The national average approval rate has changed by -1.2% against the 12 months ending July 2025. Individual judge rates vary significantly from the national average.

What do wait time trends mean for my case?

Wait times have changed by 0.5 months between reporting periods. Times vary significantly by hearing office—some offices have substantially shorter or longer wait times than the national average.

Why do ALJ statistics vary month-to-month?

Monthly variations occur due to seasonal patterns, staffing changes, case complexity variations, and administrative factors. Fiscal year-end (September) often shows different patterns than other months. For a clearer picture, compare full fiscal year totals rather than individual months.

How does Appeals Council workload affect hearings?

The Appeals Council reviews cases appealed after ALJ decisions. High AC receipts can indicate disagreement with ALJ decisions, while dispositions show the pace of reviews. These trends help understand the broader disability adjudication pipeline.