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The salary of a Contract Negotiator averages around $59,212 annually. However, this figure can fluctuate based on various elements, including geographical location and the specific industry. For example, Contract Negotiators in high-demand sectors tend to see higher compensation. States like California and New York often offer better pay due to the cost of living and market demand.
Experience plays a significant role in salary levels. Entry-level positions may start lower, while experienced negotiators can command salaries well above the average. Continuing education and certifications can also enhance earning potential and job opportunities.
Industries such as technology, healthcare, and government typically offer higher salaries for Contract Negotiators. Understanding where the highest-paying opportunities exist can significantly impact your career path. Websites like Zippia provide valuable insights into job listings and salary ranges, helping you navigate the job market more effectively.
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The average contract negotiator salary in Pennsylvania, New York, and West Virginia are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average contract negotiator salary states are Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $77,986 | $37.49 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $72,594 | $34.90 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $65,794 | $31.63 |
| 4 | New York | $72,019 | $34.62 |
| 5 | Kansas | $64,029 | $30.78 |
| 6 | California | $65,184 | $31.34 |
| 7 | Virginia | $61,415 | $29.53 |
| 8 | Texas | $62,816 | $30.20 |
| 9 | Delaware | $66,831 | $32.13 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $67,268 | $32.34 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $59,950 | $28.82 |
| 12 | Maryland | $60,921 | $29.29 |
| 13 | Nevada | $61,876 | $29.75 |
| 14 | Ohio | $64,562 | $31.04 |
| 15 | Illinois | $60,262 | $28.97 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $61,679 | $29.65 |
| 17 | Mississippi | $58,367 | $28.06 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $60,136 | $28.91 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $66,617 | $32.03 |
| 20 | Michigan | $63,731 | $30.64 |
| 21 | Alaska | $52,240 | $25.12 |
| 22 | Colorado | $54,088 | $26.00 |
| 23 | Alabama | $52,477 | $25.23 |
| 24 | Arizona | $52,892 | $25.43 |
| 25 | Indiana | $57,617 | $27.70 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $51,767 | $24.89 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $55,646 | $26.75 |
| 28 | Florida | $53,643 | $25.79 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $55,420 | $26.64 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $54,107 | $26.01 |
| 31 | Minnesota | $51,086 | $24.56 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $55,090 | $26.49 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $55,180 | $26.53 |
| 34 | Georgia | $53,641 | $25.79 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $50,633 | $24.34 |
| 36 | Missouri | $51,809 | $24.91 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $49,781 | $23.93 |
| 38 | Utah | $45,427 | $21.84 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $46,059 | $22.14 |
| 40 | Connecticut | $50,501 | $24.28 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $43,803 | $21.06 |
| 42 | Iowa | $51,199 | $24.61 |
| 43 | Washington | $43,268 | $20.80 |
| 44 | Idaho | $42,984 | $20.67 |
| 45 | Oregon | $46,453 | $22.33 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | $44,403 | $21.35 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $43,820 | $21.07 |
| 48 | New Hampshire | $35,963 | $17.29 |
| 49 | Maine | $36,301 | $17.45 |
| 50 | Montana | $41,234 | $19.82 |
| 51 | Vermont | $35,481 | $17.06 |
The highest-paying cities for contract negotiators are Washington, DC, New York, NY, and Wilmington, DE.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $78,067 | $37.53 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $74,053 | $35.60 |
| 3 | Wilmington, DE | $66,579 | $32.01 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $66,379 | $31.91 |
| 5 | Baton Rouge, LA | $66,131 | $31.79 |
| 6 | Columbus, OH | $65,541 | $31.51 |
| 7 | Austin, TX | $63,584 | $30.57 |
| 8 | Charlottesville, VA | $61,255 | $29.45 |
| 9 | Raleigh, NC | $61,125 | $29.39 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $60,544 | $29.11 |
| 11 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $60,139 | $28.91 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $57,996 | $27.88 |
| 13 | Madison, WI | $55,611 | $26.74 |
| 14 | Worcester, MA | $55,391 | $26.63 |
| 15 | Denver, CO | $53,993 | $25.96 |
| 16 | Orlando, FL | $53,963 | $25.94 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $53,637 | $25.79 |
| 18 | Rochester, MN | $53,054 | $25.51 |
| 19 | Phoenix, AZ | $52,958 | $25.46 |
| 20 | Montgomery, AL | $52,213 | $25.10 |
A contract negotiator's salary ranges from $39,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $87,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $87,000 | $7,250 | $42 |
| 75th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| Average | $59,212 | $4,934 | $28 |
| 25th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
| 10th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
The highest paying types of contract negotiators are senior advisor, principal consultant, and business developer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Developer | $101,635 | $8,470 | $48.86 | 193,469 |
| Business Development Internship | $33,146 | $2,762 | $15.94 | 147,302 |
| Business Internship | $35,282 | $2,940 | $16.96 | 97,196 |
| Operations Internship | $33,357 | $2,780 | $16.04 | 111,994 |
| Principal Consultant | $116,478 | $9,706 | $56.00 | 143,753 |
| Operations Coordinator | $41,934 | $3,495 | $20.16 | 102,598 |
Top companies hiring contract negotiators now:
Contract negotiator salaries at Cisco and Kronos Incorporated are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average contract negotiator salary at companies like Roku and U.S. Bank are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cisco | $106,546 | $51.22 |
| 2 | Kronos Incorporated | $106,307 | $51.11 |
| 3 | Roku | $97,595 | $46.92 |
| 4 | U.S. Bank | $94,000 | $45.19 |
| 5 | Salesforce | $93,850 | $45.12 |
| 6 | Amazon | $91,288 | $43.89 |
| 7 | Fujitsu | $90,742 | $43.63 |
| 8 | Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield | $89,327 | $42.95 |
| 9 | Oracle | $89,103 | $42.84 |
| 10 | BlackRock | $87,926 | $42.27 |
| 11 | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina | $87,664 | $42.15 |
| 12 | Bentley Systems | $85,076 | $40.90 |
| 13 | Centene | $82,748 | $39.78 |
| 14 | Lockheed Martin | $82,713 | $39.77 |
| 15 | L3Harris | $81,239 | $39.06 |
| 16 | CPN | $78,529 | $37.75 |
| 17 | Coalfire Systems Inc. | $77,060 | $37.05 |
| 18 | Cision | $76,941 | $36.99 |
| 19 | Nuance Communications | $71,296 | $34.28 |
| 20 | Florida Blue | $70,875 | $34.07 |
The average contract negotiator salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Insurance | $81,999 | $39.42 |
| 2 | Technology | $81,879 | $39.36 |
| 3 | Health Care | $77,411 | $37.22 |
| 4 | Construction | $68,056 | $32.72 |
| 5 | Transportation | $66,883 | $32.16 |
The average contract negotiator salary has risen by $8,715 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average contract negotiator earned $50,497 annually, but today, they earn $59,212 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for contract negotiators over the last decade.
Compare contract negotiator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare contract negotiator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $59,200 | $28.47 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $57,000 | $27.38 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $55,600 | $26.74 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | $55,200 | $26.54 | +1.4% |
| 2021 | $54,400 | $26.18 | +1.3% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vizient | Contract Negotiator-Pharmacy | Irving, TX | 06/30/2025 | $77,400 |
| Wheatland-Chili Central School District | Contract Substitute | Fine, NY | 06/28/2025 | $44,349 |
| Coronis Health | Contracting Negotiator (On-Site) | Jackson, MI | 06/27/2025 | $25,044 |
| Amergis | Tele Contracts | Largo, MD | 06/22/2025 | $123,811 |
| Centene Corporation | Contract Negotiator | Tallahassee, FL | 06/19/2025 | $55,100 |
| Amergis | Tele Contracts | Camden, NJ | 06/19/2025 | $117,081 |
| Amergis | Ltac Contracts | Charleston, WV | 06/11/2025 | $99,915 |
| The Nanny League | Midtown Family Seeking NCS Asap; 7 AM-7 PM! Contract | New York, NY | 06/10/2025 | $83,480 |
| Amergis | 4 To MS Contracts! | Kittanning, PA | 06/10/2025 | $106,333 |
| Amergis | Ltac Contracts In Cincy!!!! | Cincinnati, OH | 06/10/2025 | $100,176 |
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