Regulatory Affairs Specialist salary in Washington, DC
Based on 92 certified H-1B filings in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Gaithersburg, Chantilly, Arlington, Rockville, Sterling.
Also listed as: Compliance Specialist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $61,984 |
| 25th | $69,625 |
| 50th (median) | $82,950 |
| 75th | $139,000 |
| 90th | $159,615 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $84,000 | $72,592 | $104,811 | 44 |
| FY2021 | $105,163 | $74,946 | $115,000 | 41 |
| FY2022 | $86,238 | $73,660 | $111,250 | 52 |
| FY2023 | $107,390 | $72,650 | $133,493 | 24 |
| FY2024 | $88,863 | $73,000 | $110,745 | 29 |
| FY2025 | $79,290 | $65,750 | $115,410 | 60 |
| FY2026 | $116,000 | $82,950 | $151,950 | 32 |
Cost of living
Washington's median Regulatory Affairs Specialist salary of $82,950 is worth about $76,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Regulatory Affairs Specialists in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $100,200 in May 2025 (13,820 employed). The H-1B median here is $82,950, 17% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | too few | 9 |
| Granules Pharmaceuticals | too few | 8 |
| DEKRA Certification | too few | 5 |
| Biologics Consulting Group | too few | 4 |
| Institute of International Finance | too few | 4 |
| too few | 3 | |
| AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals | too few | 3 |
| Granules Consumer Health | too few | 3 |
| Advantage Consulting & Engineering Services | too few | 2 |
| Brij Strategic Consultations | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $64,900 | 33 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $82,950 | 31 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | $144,395 | 21 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $61,984 | $64,900 | 33 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $79,290 | $82,950 | 31 |
| Expert · Level IV | $113,880 | $144,395 | 21 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.