Legislative Affairs Specialist Salary in the United States
How much does a Legislative Affairs Specialist make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Legislative Affairs Specialist in the United States is $60,462 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $29.
However, a Legislative Affairs Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $71,057
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $55,060 to $66,008
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $50,142
10%$50,142
50% (Median)$60,462
90%$71,057
Legislative Affairs Specialist Salaries by Percentile
Key Factors That Influence Legislative Affairs Specialist Salaries
A Legislative Affairs Specialist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Do Legislative Affairs Specialist 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 Legislative Affairs Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $66,943.
California: $66,689.
Massachusetts: $65,800.
District of Columbia$66,943
California$66,689
Massachusetts$65,800
Washington$65,559
New Jersey$65,534
Alaska$65,450
Connecticut$64,615
New York$64,277
Hawaii$63,195
Rhode Island$62,687
Maryland$62,342
Minnesota$61,870
Colorado$61,689
Illinois$61,629
Oregon$61,399
Delaware$61,230
New Hampshire$61,123
Virginia$60,885
Pennsylvania$60,190
Nevada$59,839
North Dakota$59,724
Michigan$59,543
Wisconsin$59,476
Vermont$59,343
Texas$58,974
Maine$58,950
Arizona$58,914
Ohio$58,872
Georgia$58,315
Indiana$58,037
Wyoming$57,983
Utah$57,898
Iowa$57,862
Kansas$57,572
Louisiana$57,487
North Carolina$57,457
Missouri$57,445
Florida$57,209
Montana$57,082
Nebraska$56,961
Kentucky$56,894
South Carolina$56,653
Tennessee$56,501
Idaho$56,441
New Mexico$56,000
Oklahoma$55,903
Alabama$55,546
South Dakota$54,948
Arkansas$54,621
West Virginia$54,446
Mississippi$53,920
Top Paying Cities for Legislative Affairs Specialists
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: $76,260
San Francisco: $75,425
Oakland: $73,836
San Jose, CA$76,260
San Francisco, CA$75,425
Oakland, CA$73,836
New York, NY$69,615
Paramus, NJ$68,769
Queens Village, NY$68,766
Passaic, NJ$68,708
Bergenfield, NJ$68,703
Stamford, CT$68,570
Huntington, NY$68,545
Newark, NJ$68,098
Bridgeport, CT$67,970
Vallejo, CA$67,850
New Brunswick, NJ$67,826
Petaluma, CA$67,790
Middlesex, NJ$67,675
Somerset, NJ$67,632
Santa Cruz, CA$67,554
Boston, MA$67,185
Monterey, CA$66,973
Seattle, WA$66,834
Santa Rosa, CA$66,822
Los Angeles, CA$66,804
Juneau, AK$66,647
Washington, DC$66,580
Orange, CA$66,365
Santa Ana, CA$66,206
Long Beach, CA$66,145
Anaheim, CA$66,133
Anchorage, AK$66,103
Santa Maria, CA$65,921
Everett, WA$65,909
Danbury, CT$65,696
Bremerton, WA$65,613
Tacoma, WA$65,395
New Suffolk, NY$65,394
Sacramento, CA$65,377
Santa Barbara, CA$65,311
Trenton, NJ$65,244
San Diego, CA$65,244
Brockton, MA$65,178
Fairbanks, AK$65,030
Lompoc, CA$64,875
Lowell, MA$64,826
Ventura, CA$64,815
Nashua, NH$64,803
Stockton, CA$64,797
Modesto, CA$64,355
Poughkeepsie, NY$64,222
Olympia, WA$64,108
Kennewick, WA$64,108
New Haven, CT$64,083
Lawrence, MA$63,866
Hartford, CT$63,805
Riverside, CA$63,793
New Bedford, MA$63,733
Richland, WA$63,733
Bakersfield, CA$63,648
San Bernardino, CA$63,624
New Britain, CT$63,618
Atlantic City, NJ$63,618
New London, CT$63,594
Norwich, CT$63,575
Portsmouth, NH$63,563
Boulder, CO$63,435
Portland, OR$63,352
Worcester, MA$63,346
Minneapolis, MN$63,158
Philadelphia, PA$63,074
Honolulu, HI$62,874
Saint Paul, MN$62,845
Vineland, NJ$62,832
Providence, RI$62,656
Chicago, IL$62,481
Bellingham, WA$62,409
Springfield, MA$62,360
Baltimore, MD$62,342
Chico, CA$62,191
Pittsfield, MA$62,028
Manchester, NH$61,913
Spokane, WA$61,647
Denver, CO$61,641
Albany, NY$61,357
Troy, NY$61,332
Nassau, NY$61,268
Schenectady, NY$61,205
Wilmington, DE$61,157
Burlington, VT$61,072
Salem, OR$61,048
Portland, ME$60,861
Yakima, WA$60,800
Rochester, MN$60,613
Reno, NV$60,583
Fresno, CA$60,583
Milwaukee, WI$60,528
Detroit, MI$60,468
Ann Arbor, MI$60,457
Allentown, PA$60,450
Colorado Springs, CO$60,347
Syracuse, NY$60,317
Carson City, NV$60,317
Houston, TX$60,232
Eugene, OR$60,202
Gary, IN$60,129
Springfield, OR$60,081
Bismarck, ND$60,069
Galveston, TX$60,026
Medford, OR$59,936
Fort Collins, CO$59,911
Concord, NH$59,881
Austin, TX$59,863
Mesa, AZ$59,736
Reading, PA$59,730
Phoenix, AZ$59,724
Dallas, TX$59,706
Saint Cloud, MN$59,648
Madison, WI$59,567
Utica, NY$59,404
Rochester, NY$59,307
Des Moines, IA$59,301
Raleigh, NC$59,295
Atlanta, GA$59,204
Battle Creek, MI$59,186
Salt Lake City, UT$59,168
Lancaster, PA$59,077
Harrisburg, PA$58,992
Kansas City, MO$58,932
Champaign, IL$58,920
Kansas City, KS$58,920
Fort Worth, TX$58,914
Columbus, OH$58,904
Boca Raton, FL$58,890
Pittsburgh, PA$58,866
Richmond, VA$58,841
Indianapolis, IN$58,829
Cleveland, OH$58,823
Las Vegas, NV$58,751
Cincinnati, OH$58,751
Petersburg, VA$58,660
Huntsville, AL$58,569
Lansing, MI$58,529
Lebanon, PA$58,521
Pueblo, CO$58,515
Appleton, WI$58,497
Buffalo, NY$58,473
Dayton, OH$58,454
Racine, WI$58,442
Charlotte, NC$58,436
Saint Louis, MO$58,418
York, PA$58,382
Elkhart, IN$58,382
Gastonia, NC$58,370
Billings, MT$58,356
Beaumont, TX$58,339
Lorain, OH$58,327
Benton Harbor, MI$58,315
Toledo, OH$58,303
Binghamton, NY$58,273
Rock Hill, SC$58,267
Rockford, IL$58,237
Springfield, IL$58,213
Elyria, OH$58,206
Fargo, ND$58,206
Flagstaff, AZ$58,164
Fort Lauderdale, FL$58,128
Duluth, MN$58,092
Miami, FL$58,092
Cheyenne, WY$58,049
Grand Forks, ND$58,049
Bangor, ME$57,916
Cedar Rapids, IA$57,850
Durham, NC$57,824
Louisville, KY$57,820
Grand Rapids, MI$57,807
Hialeah, FL$57,801
Casper, WY$57,717
Scranton, PA$57,644
New Orleans, LA$57,626
Virginia Beach, VA$57,620
Akron, OH$57,590
Peoria, IL$57,511
Sarasota, FL$57,499
Nashville, TN$57,457
Omaha, NE$57,457
Green Bay, WI$57,457
Baton Rouge, LA$57,427
Charleston, SC$57,414
Jamestown, NY$57,384
Davenport, IA$57,384
Tucson, AZ$57,354
Saint Petersburg, FL$57,318
Tampa, FL$57,306
Evansville, IN$57,269
Port Arthur, TX$57,269
Bradenton, FL$57,245
Santa Fe, NM$57,136
Orlando, FL$57,027
Clearwater, FL$57,009
Canton, OH$56,882
La Crosse, WI$56,882
Albuquerque, NM$56,846
Newport News, VA$56,840
High Point, NC$56,822
Ogden, UT$56,798
Corpus Christi, TX$56,749
Norfolk, VA$56,713
Laramie, WY$56,713
Rock Island, IL$56,677
Saginaw, MI$56,665
Jacksonville, FL$56,659
Salisbury, NC$56,647
Boise, ID$56,634
Moline, IL$56,604
Fort Myers, FL$56,586
Memphis, TN$56,574
Tulsa, OK$56,544
Waterloo, IA$56,508
Spartanburg, SC$56,447
Lincoln, NE$56,417
Fort Wayne, IN$56,405
Provo, UT$56,399
Cedar Falls, IA$56,326
San Antonio, TX$56,302
Greensboro, NC$56,278
South Bend, IN$56,272
Savannah, GA$56,205
Muskegon, MI$56,181
Birmingham, AL$56,175
Winston Salem, NC$56,145
Lake Charles, LA$56,000
Anderson, IN$55,988
Lexington, KY$55,969
Augusta, GA$55,951
Greenville, SC$55,951
Lima, OH$55,903
Wichita, KS$55,897
Tuscaloosa, AL$55,897
Columbia, SC$55,842
Springfield, OH$55,830
Asheville, NC$55,734
Bloomington, IN$55,691
Knoxville, TN$55,474
Shreveport, LA$55,468
Wilmington, NC$55,389
Roanoke, VA$55,389
Topeka, KS$55,280
Frankfort, KY$55,273
Oklahoma City, OK$55,232
Chillicothe, OH$55,208
Longview, TX$55,202
Melbourne, FL$55,195
Sioux Falls, SD$55,099
Mobile, AL$55,093
Terre Haute, IN$55,069
Altoona, PA$55,032
Amarillo, TX$54,990
Killeen, TX$54,972
Fayetteville, AR$54,923
Chattanooga, TN$54,905
Sioux City, IA$54,851
Idaho Falls, ID$54,839
Lynchburg, VA$54,790
Gainesville, FL$54,712
Portsmouth, OH$54,682
Little Rock, AR$54,669
Lafayette, LA$54,645
Youngstown, OH$54,645
Daytona Beach, FL$54,609
Clarksville, TN$54,603
Pensacola, FL$54,597
Temple, TX$54,593
Hopkinsville, KY$54,416
Erie, PA$54,403
Florence, SC$54,379
Charleston, WV$54,283
Great Falls, MT$54,252
Macon, GA$54,168
Tallahassee, FL$54,162
Fayetteville, NC$54,149
Waco, TX$54,137
Helena, MT$54,095
Pine Bluff, AR$54,072
Vincennes, IN$53,998
Lubbock, TX$53,974
Alamogordo, NM$53,938
Twin Falls, ID$53,883
Rapid City, SD$53,865
Jackson, MS$53,756
Huntington, WV$53,752
Greenville, MS$53,750
Parkersburg, WV$53,689
Montgomery, AL$53,678
Wichita Falls, TX$53,617
Springfield, MO$53,617
Biloxi, MS$53,587
Monroe, LA$53,527
Johnstown, PA$53,484
Sumter, SC$53,460
Columbus, GA$53,454
Pascagoula, MS$53,339
Abilene, TX$53,339
Kingsport, TN$53,182
Albany, GA$53,182
Gulfport, MS$53,164
Alexandria, LA$52,964
Fort Smith, AR$52,813
El Paso, TX$52,650
Las Cruces, NM$52,378
Harlingen, TX$52,224
Pocatello, ID$52,215
Florence, AL$52,136
Brownsville, TX$52,124
Mcallen, TX$51,997
Dothan, AL$51,912
Columbus, MS$51,553
Altus, OK$51,272
Lawton, OK$51,157
Pierre, SD$50,939
What Skills Can Increase a Legislative Affairs Specialist's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Planning (Mentioned in 5.71% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.95% 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.
Packaging (Mentioned in 1.05% Job Postings): Preparing products through wrapping or bottling to protect the goods from damages during transportation and storage.
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 Legislative Affairs Specialist's salary.
Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Merchandising: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Legislative Affairs Specialist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Legislative Affairs Specialist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 90% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Software & Networking and Financial Services
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average.
In contrast, Legislative Affairs Specialist positions in Transportation or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Legislative Affairs Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Legislative Affairs Specialist
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking
$84,646
$41.0
40%
Financial Services
$78,600
$38.0
30%
Pharmaceuticals
$73,763
$35.0
22%
Energy & Utilities
$72,554
$35.0
20%
Insurance
$69,531
$33.0
15%
How Education impacts a Legislative Affairs Specialist's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Legislative Affairs Specialists enter the field with a Associate'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 Legislative Affairs Specialist with a Associate's Degree is between
$58,714
and $62,466).
Legislative Affairs Specialist Salaries by Degree Level
$65,500
$64,500
$63,600
$62,600
$61,700
$60,700
$59,700
$58,800
No Diploma
High School
Associates
Bachelors
Masters
Doctorate
Typical Education for Legislative Affairs Specialist
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
0.8%
High School
19.1%
Associates
12.8%
Bachelors
59.0%
Masters
8.0%
Doctorate
0.3%
Typical Education for Legislative Affairs Specialist
Understanding how a Legislative Affairs Specialist'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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$55,060
Average$60,462/year
$66,008
$4,588
Average$5,038/month
$5,501
$1,059
Average$1,163/week
$1,269
$26
Average$29/hour
$32
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$66,008
$5,501
$1,269
$32
Average
$60,462
$5,038
$1,163
$29
25th Percentile
$55,060
$4,588
$1,059
$26
Salaries of Jobs related to Legislative Affairs Specialist
Salaries for a Legislative Affairs Specialist can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $61,472 in 2023
to around $60,436 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Legislative Affairs Specialist salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Legislative Affairs Specialist Over Time
$???
$61,472
$61,149
$60,436
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$61,472
2024
$61,149
2025
$60,436
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Legislative Affairs Specialist
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Legislative Affairs Specialist
Here are companies hiring for Legislative Affairs Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Legislative Affairs Specialist
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Legislative Affairs Specialist?
The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Legislative Affairs Specialist roles,
with salaries approximately 40% 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.
