Regulatory Affairs Managers
SOC code 11-9199 · O*NET-SOC 11-9199.01 · Considerable preparation needed
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth and numerous job openings for this occupation
Regulatory Affairs Managers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$141,900
a year
Hourly
$68.22
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$153,890
$73.99 per hour
Middle 50%
$102,880 – $186,300
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$74,300 – $238,270
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
622,190
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
These pay and employment figures are for the broader BLS group “Managers, All Other”, not this job alone.
- 10th percentile
- $74,300
- $35.72/hr
- 25th percentile
- $102,880
- $49.46/hr
- Median percentile
- $141,900
- $68.22/hr
- 75th percentile
- $186,300
- $89.57/hr
- 90th percentile
- $238,270
- $114.55/hr
What does a regulatory affairs manager do?
Plan, direct, or coordinate production activities of an organization to ensure compliance with regulations and standard operating procedures.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Develop regulatory strategies and implementation plans for the preparation and submission of new products.
- Review all regulatory agency submission materials to ensure timeliness, accuracy, comprehensiveness, or compliance with regulatory standards.
- Direct the preparation and submission of regulatory agency applications, reports, or correspondence.
- Investigate product complaints and prepare documentation and submissions to appropriate regulatory agencies as necessary.
- Provide responses to regulatory agencies regarding product information or issues.
- Represent organizations before domestic or international regulatory agencies on major policy matters or decisions regarding company products.
- Provide regulatory guidance to departments or development project teams regarding design, development, evaluation, or marketing of products.
- Manage activities such as audits, regulatory agency inspections, or product recalls.
How to become a regulatory affairs manager
Most people in this role hold bachelor's degree — 74% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Bachelor's Degree74%
- Master's Degree13%
- Some College Courses4%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate4%
Common questions
How much does a regulatory affairs manager earn?
The national median is $141,900 a year. The full range runs from $74,300 at the 10th percentile to $238,270 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a regulatory affairs manager without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Writing4.3/5
- Reading Comprehension4.1/5
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Speaking4.0/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Monitoring3.6/5
Knowledge areas
- English Language4.6/5
- Law and Government4.0/5
- Administration and Management3.7/5
- Biology3.4/5
- Education and Training3.1/5
- Administrative3.0/5
- Chemistry3.0/5
- Computers and Electronics2.9/5
Transferable strengths: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation.