Business Affairs Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Business Affairs Manager make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Business Affairs Manager in the United States is $148,824 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $72.

However, a Business Affairs Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $171,482
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $132,772 to $160,684
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $118,157

Key Factors That Influence Business Affairs Manager Salaries

A Business Affairs Manager'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 Business Affairs Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Business Affairs Manager'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): $103,099
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $130,263
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $149,939
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $176,825
  • Expert (over 8 years): $200,042
Levels Salary
Regulator... Level Business Affairs Manager$103,099
Regulator... Level Business Affairs Manager$130,263
Business ... Level Business Affairs Manager$149,939
Regulator... Level Business Affairs Manager$176,825
Regulator... Level Business Affairs Manager$200,042

Top Paying Cities for Business Affairs Managers

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: $187,712
  • San Francisco: $185,656
  • Oakland: $181,744

What Skills Can Increase a Business Affairs Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 8.83% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Clinical Trial (Mentioned in 1.44% Job Postings): Clinical trials are prospective biomedical or behavioral research studies on human participants designed to answer specific questions about biomedical or behavioral interventions, including new treatments.
  • Procurement (Mentioned in 1.2% Job Postings): Procurement is the process of finding and agreeing to terms, and acquiring goods, services, or works from an external source, often via a tendering or competitive bidding process. Procurement is used to ensure the buyer receives goods, services, or works at the best possible price when aspects such as quality, quantity, time, and location are compared. Corporations and public bodies often define processes intended to promote fair and open competition for their business while minimizing risks such as exposure to fraud and collusion. Almost all purchasing decisions include factors such as delivery and handling, marginal benefit, and price fluctuations. Procurement generally involves making buying decisions under conditions of scarcity. If sound data is available, it is good practice to make use of economic analysis methods such as cost-benefit analysis or cost-utility analysis.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 8.83%
Clinical Trial 1.44%
Procurement 1.2%

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 Business Affairs Manager's salary.

  • Biotechnology: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Alignment: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Coaching: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Biotechnology $153,289
3%
Alignment $153,289
3%
Coaching $153,289
3%

Business Affairs Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Business Affairs Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 55% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Business Affairs Manager positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Business Affairs Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Business Affairs Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals$186,030$89.025%
Biotechnology$178,589$86.020%
Financial Services$171,148$82.015%
Software & Networking$171,148$82.015%
Chemicals$163,706$79.010%

How Education impacts a Business Affairs Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Business Affairs Managers 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 Business Affairs Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $139,708 and $150,606).

Business Affairs Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Business Affairs Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 4.7%
High School 4.7%
Associates 5.0%
Bachelors 37.3%
Masters 35.1%
Doctorate 18.0%

Business Affairs Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Business Affairs Manager'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 September 01, 2026
$132,772
Average $148,824/year
$160,684
$11,064
Average $12,402/month
$13,390
$2,553
Average $2,862/week
$3,090
$64
Average $72/hour
$77
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $160,684 $13,390 $3,090 $77
Average $148,824 $12,402 $2,862 $72
25th Percentile $132,772 $11,064 $2,553 $64

Most common benefits for Business Affairs Manager

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

Common company salaries for Business Affairs Manager

Here are companies hiring for Business Affairs Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Business Affairs Manager

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Business Affairs Manager?

The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Business Affairs Manager roles, with salaries approximately 25% 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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