National Security & Defense Careers

Salary data and insights based on 53 job postings

National Security & Defense professionals earn a median salary of $126,800 at mid-level, rising to $175,000 for senior roles. The field is heavily concentrated in Washington, DC and Arlington, VA, reflecting the sector's close ties to federal government and defense institutions. In-demand skills include geopolitical analysis, government relations, and project management, alongside strong written and oral communication abilities essential for policy and advisory roles.

Last updated: April 2026

Entry Level

N/A

0 jobs

Mid Level

$126,800

25 jobs

Senior Level

$175,000

15 jobs

Jobs Analyzed

53

Last 6 months

Salary by Experience Level

Chart shows median salaries. Hover for full range details.

Most Common Job Titles

Required Skills

Geopolitical analysisWritten and oral communicationGovernment relationsWritten and verbal communicationProject managementCross-functional collaborationContract negotiationRecords managementTechnical communicationStrategic planningStakeholder managementPolicy analysisCongressional relationsResearch and analysisData analysis and visualization

Top Employers

Booz Allen Hamilton

16 jobs

Anthropic

3 jobs

TAE TECHNOLOGIES INC

2 jobs

Amentum

2 jobs

Anduril Industries

1 jobs

Ukraine Foundation

1 jobs

Solugen

1 jobs

Harvard University

1 jobs

Center For Strategic And International Studies

1 jobs

Palantir Technologies

1 jobs

Top Locations

Washington, DC

10 jobs

Arlington, VA

7 jobs

United States

4 jobs

Washington DC-Baltimore Area

3 jobs

Alexandria, VA

3 jobs

Washington, DC, USA

3 jobs

Chantilly, VA

2 jobs

McLean, VA

2 jobs

2430 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037

2 jobs

Irvine, CA

1 jobs

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