Expert Regulatory Affairs Specialist salary in Washington, DC
Based on 21 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level IV 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 | $113,880 |
| 25th | $120,000 |
| 50th (median) | $144,395 |
| 75th | $159,885 |
| 90th | $187,200 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $105,000 | $104,146 | $120,500 | 15 |
| FY2021 | $131,000 | $113,482 | $141,000 | 11 |
| FY2022 | $129,000 | $106,974 | $147,531 | 12 |
| FY2023 | $135,996 | $115,654 | $154,018 | 10 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2025 | $144,395 | $120,000 | $158,400 | 13 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 8 |
Cost of living
Washington's median expert Regulatory Affairs Specialist salary of $144,395 is worth about $132,600 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 $144,395, 44% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Biologics Consulting Group | too few | 4 |
| Amazon | too few | 2 |
| AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals | too few | 2 |
| Institute of International Finance | 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.