Salary data and insights based on 337 job postings
National Security & Defense professionals earn a median salary of $180,000 at entry-level, with mid-level roles at $124,800 and senior positions reaching $170,557 across 337 analyzed jobs. The field is heavily concentrated in the Washington, DC metro area, including Arlington, VA, reflecting the density of federal agencies and defense contractors in the region. Demand is strongest for intelligence analysis and all-source intelligence analysis skills, alongside project management and written and verbal communication capabilities.
Last updated: August 2026
Entry Level
$180,000
4 jobs
Mid Level
$124,800
174 jobs
Senior Level
$170,557
80 jobs
Jobs Analyzed
337
Last 6 months
Chart shows median salaries. Hover for full range details.
Booz Allen Hamilton
104 jobs
Peraton
11 jobs
Amentum
9 jobs
Lockheed Martin
8 jobs
Northrop Grumman
8 jobs
Anduril Industries
6 jobs
Anthropic
6 jobs
Office of the Director of National Intelligence
5 jobs
Deloitte
5 jobs
Booz Allen
4 jobs
Washington, DC
76 jobs
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
30 jobs
Arlington, VA
22 jobs
McLean, Virginia, United States
10 jobs
United States
9 jobs
Arlington, Virginia, United States
9 jobs
McLean, VA
9 jobs
Alexandria, VA
8 jobs
Washington DC-Baltimore Area
5 jobs
Chantilly, VA
5 jobs
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