Mediators help people who are in a dispute talk it through and reach an agreement they choose themselves. Conflict resolution jobs include court mediation programs and roles in government agencies and legal services, as well as private practice. This page covers what the work is, how it differs from facilitation, how people get into it and what BLS data says about pay. It does not list jobs.
What does a mediator do?
BLS groups mediators with arbitrators and conciliators. It says these workers “facilitate negotiation through dialogue to help resolve conflicts” outside the court system. BLS describes mediators as neutral parties who help people resolve disputes. “However, unlike arbitrators, they do not render binding decisions.” If no settlement is reached, the parties can pursue other options.
Duties listed by BLS for the occupation as a whole (arbitrators, mediators and conciliators) include:
- facilitating communication between the parties to guide them toward mutual agreement
- clarifying the issues, concerns, needs and interests of all parties
- setting up appointments for the parties to meet
- interviewing claimants, agents or witnesses
- preparing settlement agreements for the parties to sign
- applying relevant laws, regulations, policies or precedents
Florida’s court rules give this definition. Mediation is “a process whereby a neutral and impartial third person acts to encourage and facilitate the resolution of a dispute without prescribing what it should be”. The mediator’s role is to reduce obstacles to communication, help identify issues and explore alternatives. “The ultimate decision-making authority, however, rests solely with the parties” (Florida Rules for Certified and Court-Appointed Mediators, Rules 10.210 and 10.220, effective January 1, 2025).
Mediator vs facilitator
The two roles share a lot. Both are neutral, both manage a process rather than deciding the outcome, and both leave the decision with the people in the room. The International Association of Facilitators asks facilitators to practice “impartiality toward content”. Florida’s rules ask mediators to facilitate a resolution “without prescribing what it should be”.
The difference is the situation:
- A mediator works on a dispute: parties who disagree and want, or are required, to try to settle. Court-connected mediation can come with its own rules on qualifications and conduct, as Florida’s does.
- A facilitator works with any group on any task: a strategy day, a training session, a team retrospective, a support group. There may be no conflict at all.
We have not found a standard definition of “conflict resolution facilitator”. It can describe someone facilitating a group conversation about a conflict rather than a formal mediation between named parties, so check what a posting means. See also what does a facilitator do?
How to become a mediator
According to BLS, for arbitrators, mediators and conciliators as a group:
- Education: workers in the occupation typically need at least a bachelor’s degree at the entry level. Few have a degree specific to arbitration, mediation or conflict resolution. Some positions require a law degree, an MBA or another advanced degree.
- Experience: workers often have expertise in a field such as construction, finance or insurance. Some are lawyers or retired judges.
- Training: workers in the occupation typically shadow or assist an experienced supervisor, and may support a certain number of cases before working independently. Training is available from postsecondary schools, government agencies and community mediation centers, among others.
- Licensing: there is no national license. Some states require certification for certain types of cases, and qualifications, standards and required training hours vary by state or by court. Some courts may require applicants to be licensed attorneys or certified public accountants.
State court examples (not a complete list)
Rules differ by state and by type of case. Two examples, taken from the state courts’ own sites:
- Florida (example): to be certified as a county court mediator you must be at least 21 and of good moral character. You need at least a high school diploma or GED and 100 points under the court’s point system. Those points must include 30 for completing a Florida Supreme Court certified county court mediation training program, 10 for education and 60 for mentorship. Family and circuit court certification require at least a bachelor’s degree (Rule 10.100, effective January 1, 2025).
- Virginia (example, page viewed November 2026): the requirements for General District Court certification are a bachelor’s degree (a waiver can be requested), 20 hours of basic mediation training, a 4-hour course on Virginia’s judicial system, two general mediation observations and three general co-mediations, under guidelines set by the Judicial Council of Virginia.
If you plan to mediate court cases, check your own state court’s dispute resolution office first.
Pay and job outlook
For arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators (BLS, May 2025):
- median annual wage: $75,530 ($36.31 an hour)
- lowest 10 percent: under $47,220
- highest 10 percent: over $155,440
Median pay by industry (BLS, May 2025): local government $92,790, state government $81,330, other professional, scientific and technical services $75,620, and legal services $71,430.
BLS counted about 10,500 arbitrator, mediator and conciliator jobs in 2025. The largest employers were legal services (33 percent), local government (15 percent), state government (13 percent), self-employed workers (9 percent), and other professional, scientific and technical services (9 percent). For this occupation BLS projects 5 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, which it calls faster than average, with about 300 openings a year. The wage figures above exclude the self-employed, because the OEWS survey does not cover them.
Hiring for this role?
If you are hiring a mediator or conflict resolution facilitator in the U.S., get in touch about listing the role on facilitatorjobs.com.