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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration salary estimate

$64,086yearly

$30.81 hourly rate

Entry-level salary
$39,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding NHTSA Salaries

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is committed to ensuring safety on America's roads. In 2025, the average salary is estimated at $64,086, reflecting the agency's dedication to attracting skilled professionals. Salaries can vary based on location, with some regions offering higher compensation due to cost of living differences. Additionally, certain departments, such as engineering, command better pay rates due to technical expertise requirements.

Top Positions and Their Salaries

The highest paying jobs within the NHTSA include specialized roles in engineering and data analysis, which are vital for the agency's operations. For example, data analysts and safety engineers play crucial roles in developing strategies to reduce traffic fatalities and improve safety measures. Understanding these roles helps prospective employees gauge their earning potential and job satisfaction.

Highest paying jobs at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The highest paying jobs at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are director of public affairs, division chief, economist, and lead contractor. Director of public affairs jobs at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration earn an average yearly salary of $102,895, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration division chief jobs average $99,127, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration economist jobs average $94,154.

The lowest paying National Highway Traffic Safety Administration roles include student technician and customer service representative. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration student technician average salary is $32,310 per year. So while the average National Highway Traffic Safety Administration salary is $64,086 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.

Highest paying jobs at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

RankJob titleAverage National Highway Traffic Safety Administration salaryHourly rate
1Director Of Public Affairs$102,895$49.47
2Division Chief$99,127$47.66
3Economist$94,154$45.27
4Lead Contractor$93,441$44.92
5Lead Engineer$89,066$42.82
6Legal Extern$85,047$40.89
7Consultant Database Administrator$83,578$40.18
8Mathematical Statistician$82,042$39.44
9Program Manager$81,256$39.07
10Research Psychologist$80,888$38.89
11Senior Manager$79,049$38.00
12Trial Attorney$76,680$36.87
13Research Director$74,895$36.01
14Program Analyst$73,883$35.52
15Generation Engineer$73,438$35.31
16Master Instructor$73,190$35.19
17Regional Administrator$70,787$34.03
18Budget Officer$69,466$33.40
19Co-Investigator$67,381$32.39
20Accident Investigator$67,354$32.38

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How much does National Highway Traffic Safety Administration pay by location?

The average National Highway Traffic Safety Administration salary varies by location. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration salaries are the highest in Washington, DC, at $78,710 per year. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration pays the second highest average salary in White Plains, NY, at $72,484 per year. It's important to factor in the cost of living when negotiating a salary or choosing a place to work.

Highest paying National Highway Traffic Safety Administration locations

RankLocationAverage National Highway Traffic Safety Administration salaryHourly rate
1Washington, DC$78,710$37.84
2White Plains, NY$72,484$34.85
3San Angelo, TX$62,183$29.90

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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration salaries by department

Salaries at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration vary depending on the department you work in. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration salaries in the corporate management department are the highest with an average salary of $98,964. Employees in the construction department at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $93,337 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration include the customer service and the administrative organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $35,742 and $41,534, respectively.

Average National Highway Traffic Safety Administration salary by department

RankDepartmentAverage National Highway Traffic Safety Administration salaryHourly rate
1Corporate Management$98,964$47.58
2Construction$93,337$44.87
3Legal$78,120$37.56
4Finance$73,866$35.51
5Engineering$72,604$34.91
6Research & Development$72,187$34.71
7Non Profit/Government$70,168$33.73
8Art/Design$62,348$29.98
9Marketing$62,171$29.89
10Education$62,105$29.86
11Facilities$60,418$29.05
12Plant/Manufacturing$60,120$28.90
13IT$55,471$26.67
14Administrative$41,535$19.97
15Customer Service$35,742$17.18

How much does National Highway Traffic Safety Administration pay by department?

Best paying National Highway Traffic Safety Administration engineering salaries

RankPositionAverage National Highway Traffic Safety Administration salaryHourly rate
1Lead Engineer$89,066$42.82
2Consultant Database Administrator$83,578$40.18
3Generation Engineer$73,438$35.31
4Statistical Analyst$70,445$33.87
5Data Analyst$63,152$30.36
6Safety Specialist$59,539$28.62
7Engineering Trainee$58,034$27.90

Best paying National Highway Traffic Safety Administration research & development salaries

RankPositionAverage National Highway Traffic Safety Administration salaryHourly rate
1Research Engineer$82,420$39.63
2Mathematical Statistician$82,042$39.44
3Research Psychologist$80,888$38.89
4Co-Investigator$67,381$32.39
5Environmental Protection Specialist$52,813$25.39

Best paying National Highway Traffic Safety Administration non profit/government salaries

RankPositionAverage National Highway Traffic Safety Administration salaryHourly rate
1Program Manager$81,256$39.07
2Equal Opportunity Specialist$75,009$36.06
3Accident Investigator$67,354$32.38
4Programming Specialist$62,236$29.92
5Program Assistant$44,876$21.58

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration competitors’ average salaries

Average salaries at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration competitors, like Versar, Navarro Research and Engineering, and Ecology and Environment Inc, vary. Versar employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $70,867. The average salary at Navarro Research and Engineering is $65,922 per year, and the average salary at Ecology and Environment Inc is $65,270 per year.

Highest paying National Highway Traffic Safety Administration competitors

RankCompany nameZippia scoreAverage salary
1Versar4.4$70,867
2Navarro Research and Engineering4.7$65,922
3Ecology and Environment Inc4.4$65,270
4NRC4.6$62,403
5Woodard & Curran4.4$62,195
6National Institute Of Justice4.2$62,139
7Defense Security Service4.5$60,284
8U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission4.6$58,487
9U.S. Environmental Protection Agency4.2$57,706
10U.S. Department of Defense4.4$56,890
11Savannah River Nuclear Solutions4.5$54,480
12Baltimore Metropolitan Council4.5$53,445
13West Virginia Development Office3.4$46,941

Frequently asked questions about National Highway Traffic Safety Administration salaries

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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and its employees or that of Zippia.

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