Salary AI Book a Demo

Senior Fellow Salary in the United States

How much does a Senior Fellow make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Senior Fellow in the United States is $199,925 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $96.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $235,499
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $191,498 to $218,546
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $183,826
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Senior Fellow Salaries

A Senior Fellow'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 Senior Fellow Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Senior Fellow'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): $195,432
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $196,011
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $196,589
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $197,399
  • Expert (over 8 years): $199,925
Levels Salary
Entry Level Senior Fellow$195,432
Intermediate Level Senior Fellow$196,011
Senior Level Senior Fellow$196,589
Specialist Level Senior Fellow$197,399
Expert Level Senior Fellow$199,925
View as Graph

How Do Senior Fellow 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 Senior Fellows. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $221,357.
  • California: $220,517.
  • Massachusetts: $217,578.

Top Paying Cities for Senior Fellows

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: $252,165
  • San Francisco: $249,404
  • Oakland: $244,148

What Skills Can Increase a Senior Fellow's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 9.71% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Bioinformatics (Mentioned in 2.78% Job Postings): Bioinformatics is also known as computational biology, and is the study of large amounts of biological information like DNA, often with computer help.
  • Computer Science (Mentioned in 2.15% Job Postings): Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to practical disciplines.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 9.71%
Bioinformatics 2.78%
Computer Science 2.15%
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 a Senior Fellow's salary.

  • Oncology: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Talent Acquisition: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Oncology $221,917
11%
Insight $215,919
8%
Talent Acquisition $215,919
8%
Get Latest Data

Senior Fellow Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Senior Fellow roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Healthcare and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Senior Fellow positions in Pharmaceuticals or Chemicals typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Senior Fellow as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Senior Fellow

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$259,902$125.030%
Biotechnology$239,910$115.020%

How Education impacts a Senior Fellow's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Senior Fellows enter the field with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent 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 Senior Fellow with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is between $178,509 and $192,116).

Senior Fellow Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Senior Fellow
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 8.0%
High School 12.1%
Associates 79.9%
Bachelors 8.0%
Masters 12.1%
Doctorate 79.9%
View as Graph

Senior Fellow Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Senior Fellow'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
$191,498
Average $199,925/year
$218,546
$15,958
Average $16,660/month
$18,212
$3,683
Average $3,845/week
$4,203
$92
Average $96/hour
$105
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $218,546 $18,212 $4,203 $105
Average $199,925 $16,660 $3,845 $96
25th Percentile $191,498 $15,958 $3,683 $92

Most common benefits for Senior Fellow

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

Common company salaries for Senior Fellow

Here are companies hiring for Senior Fellow and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Senior Fellow Job

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

For Employees

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

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

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

Adjust Employee Salary

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

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Senior Fellow

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Senior Fellow?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Senior Fellow 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.

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