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Executive Director, Regulatory Affair Salary in the United States

How much does an Executive Director, Regulatory Affair make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for an Executive Director, Regulatory Affair in the United States is $294,162 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $141.

However, an Executive Director, Regulatory Affair's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $339,847
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $262,651 to $318,075
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $233,962
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Executive Director, Regulatory Affair Salaries

An Executive Director, Regulatory Affair'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 Executive Director, Regulatory Affair Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Executive Director, Regulatory Affair'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): $128,344
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $147,735
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $174,213
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $197,082
  • Expert (over 8 years): $292,403
Levels Salary
Regulator... Level Executive Director, Regulatory Affair$128,344
Regulator... Level Executive Director, Regulatory Affair$147,735
Regulator... Level Executive Director, Regulatory Affair$174,213
Regulator... Level Executive Director, Regulatory Affair$197,082
Executive... Level Executive Director, Regulatory Affair$292,403
View as Graph

How Do Executive Director, Regulatory Affair Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Executive Director, Regulatory Affairs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $325,696.
  • California: $324,461.
  • Massachusetts: $320,137.

Top Paying Cities for Executive Director, Regulatory Affairs

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: $371,027
  • San Francisco: $366,964
  • Oakland: $359,231

What Skills Can Increase an Executive Director, Regulatory Affair's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 11.54% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Chemistry (Mentioned in 5.77% Job Postings): Chemistry is the branch of science that deals with the composition, structure, and properties of substances of which matter is composed.
  • Adobe Acrobat (Mentioned in 1.92% Job Postings): Adobe Acrobat is a family of application software and Web services developed by Adobe Inc. to view, create, manipulate, print and manage Portable Document Format (PDF) files.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 11.54%
Chemistry 5.77%
Adobe Acrobat 1.92%
See More Skills

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 an Executive Director, Regulatory Affair's salary.

  • Recruitment and Selection: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Agility: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Teamwork: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Recruitment and Selection $341,228
16%
Agility $326,520
11%
Teamwork $314,753
7%
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Executive Director, Regulatory Affair Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Executive Director, Regulatory Affair roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 56% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Executive Director, Regulatory Affair positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Executive Director, Regulatory Affair as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Executive Director, Regulatory Affair

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$382,411$184.030%
Pharmaceuticals$352,994$170.020%
Energy & Utilities$350,053$168.019%
Aerospace & Defense$335,345$161.014%
Software & Networking$335,345$161.014%

How Education impacts an Executive Director, Regulatory Affair's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Executive Director, Regulatory Affairs 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 an Executive Director, Regulatory Affair with a Bachelor's Degree is between $278,583 and $304,317).

Executive Director, Regulatory Affair Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Executive Director, Regulatory Affair
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 2.7%
High School 24.0%
Associates 2.7%
Bachelors 24.0%
Masters 38.7%
Doctorate 34.7%
View as Graph

Executive Director, Regulatory Affair Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Executive Director, Regulatory Affair'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 October 01, 2026
$262,651
Average $294,162/year
$318,075
$21,888
Average $24,514/month
$26,506
$5,051
Average $5,657/week
$6,117
$126
Average $141/hour
$153
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $318,075 $26,506 $6,117 $153
Average $294,162 $24,514 $5,657 $141
25th Percentile $262,651 $21,888 $5,051 $126

Most common benefits for Executive Director, Regulatory Affair

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

Common company salaries for Executive Director, Regulatory Affair

Here are companies hiring for Executive Director, Regulatory Affair and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Executive Director, Regulatory Affair

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Executive Director, Regulatory Affair?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Executive Director, Regulatory Affair roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

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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