Contract Administrator Salary in the United States

How much does a Contract Administrator make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Contract Administrator in the United States is $65,943 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $77,440
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $59,751 to $71,961
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $54,114
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered Talent
AI-Powered HR
View as table View as graph 25% $59,751 10% $54,114 90% $77,440 75% $71,961 $65,943 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Contract Administrator Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $71,961 $5,997 $1,384 $35
Average $65,943 $5,495 $1,268 $32
25th Percentile $59,751 $4,979 $1,149 $29
Check out Contract Administrator Job Openings in the United States
Contract Administrator with Security Clearance

River Hawk Consulting LLC - CHANTILLY, VA

Contract Administrator with Security Clearance

Alutiiq, LLC - ARLINGTON, VA

Contract Administrator - Level 4 with Security Clearance

Northrop Grumman - HUNTSVILLE, AL

Contract Administrator 3 or 4 with Security Clearance

Northrop Grumman - EL SEGUNDO, CA

Search More Contract Administrator Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Contract Administrator Salaries

A Contract Administrator'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 Contract Administrator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Contract Administrator'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): $65,029
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $65,677
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $67,005
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $67,270
  • Expert (over 8 years): $67,447
Levels Salary
Entry Level Contract Administrator$65,029
Intermediate Level Contract Administrator$65,677
Senior Level Contract Administrator$67,005
Specialist Level Contract Administrator$67,270
Expert Level Contract Administrator$67,447
$65,029 0 yr
$65,677 < 2 yrs
$67,005 2-4 yrs
$67,270 5-8 yrs
$67,447 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Contract Administrators

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: $83,173
  • San Francisco: $82,356
  • Oakland: $80,529

What Skills Can Increase a Contract Administrator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 5.25% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • RFP (Mentioned in 2.59% Job Postings): A request for proposal (RFP) is a business document that announces a project, describes it, and solicits bids from qualified contractors to complete it.
  • Federal Acquisition Regulations (Mentioned in 1.87% Job Postings): The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is the primary regulation for use by all executive agencies in their acquisition of supplies and services with appropriated funds.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 5.25%
RFP 2.59%
Federal Acquisition Regulations 1.87%
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 Contract Administrator's salary.
  • Business Development: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Government Contracting: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Program Management: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Business Development
$70,559
7%
Government Contracting
$69,899
6%
Program Management
$69,899
6%
Proposal Preparation
$69,899
6%
Presentation
$68,580
4%
Contract Negotiation
$68,580
4%
Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Contract Administrator's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Contract Administrators 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 Contract Administrator with a Bachelor's Degree is between $64,571 and $69,131).

Contract Administrator Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Contract Administrator
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.6%
High School 10.7%
Associates 13.2%
Bachelors 54.8%
Masters 11.2%
Doctorate 9.5%
view as graph

Contract Administrator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Contract Administrator'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 January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Contract Administrator

Salaries for a Contract Administrator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $64,632 in 2023 to around $64,476 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Contract Administrator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Contract Administrator Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$64,632
2024
$64,820
2025
$64,476
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $64,632
2024 $64,820
2025 $64,476
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Contract Administrator

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Contract Administrator

Here are companies hiring for Contract Administrator and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Contract Administrator Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Contract Administrator job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst