Policy Researcher Salary in the United States

How much does a Policy Researcher make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Policy Researcher in the United States is $75,197 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.

However, a Policy Researcher's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $84,048
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $68,154 to $79,830
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $61,741
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View as table View as graph 25% $68,154 10% $61,741 90% $84,048 75% $79,830 $75,197 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Policy Researcher Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $79,830 $6,652 $1,535 $38
Average $75,197 $6,266 $1,446 $36
25th Percentile $68,154 $5,679 $1,311 $33
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Key Factors That Influence Policy Researcher Salaries

A Policy Researcher's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Policy Researcher Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Policy Researcher's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $76,175
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $76,793
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $77,762
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $77,956
  • Expert (over 8 years): $78,085
Levels Salary
Entry Level Policy Researcher$76,175
Intermediate Level Policy Researcher$76,793
Senior Level Policy Researcher$77,762
Specialist Level Policy Researcher$77,956
Expert Level Policy Researcher$78,085
$76,175 0 yr
$76,793 < 2 yrs
$77,762 2-4 yrs
$77,956 5-8 yrs
$78,085 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Policy Researchers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $94,845
  • San Francisco: $93,807
  • Oakland: $91,830

What Skills Can Increase a Policy Researcher's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 5.19% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.69% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • Safety Inspections (Mentioned in 1.85% Job Postings): Identifying, assessing, and monitoring hazardous conditions to recommend corrective actions and prevent future incidents.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 5.19%
Microsoft Office 2.69%
Safety Inspections 1.85%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Policy Researcher's salary.
  • Computer Literacy: Can increase your salary by up to 23%.
  • Medical Imaging: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Computer Literacy
$92,492
23%
Medical Imaging
$84,972
13%
Flexibility
$83,468
11%
Collaboration
$82,716
10%
Collaborating
$81,212
8%
Communication Skills
$80,460
7%
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How Education impacts a Policy Researcher's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Policy Researchers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Policy Researcher with a Bachelor's Degree is between $69,047 and $73,706).

Policy Researcher Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Policy Researcher
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.7%
High School 1.9%
Associates 4.7%
Bachelors 47.8%
Masters 32.6%
Doctorate 12.4%
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Policy Researcher Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Policy Researcher's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Policy Researcher

Salaries for a Policy Researcher can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $81,225 in 2023 to around $79,568 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Policy Researcher salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Policy Researcher Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$81,225
2024
$80,543
2025
$79,568
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $81,225
2024 $80,543
2025 $79,568
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Policy Researcher

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Policy Researcher

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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