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U.S. Department of Defense salaries
U.S. Department of Defense salary estimate
$56,890yearly
How much does U.S. Department of Defense pay?
The average U.S. Department of Defense salary in the United States is $56,890 per year. U.S. Department of Defense salaries range between $32,000 a year in the bottom 10th percentile to $100,000 in the top 90th percentile. U.S. Department of Defense pays $27.35 an hour on average. Geographic location also impacts U.S. Department of Defense salaries. U.S. Department of Defense employees in Washington, DC get paid the most.Highest paying jobs at U.S. Department of Defense
The highest paying jobs at U.S. Department of Defense are general counsel, branch chief, defense contract management agency, and team leader. General counsel jobs at U.S. Department of Defense earn an average yearly salary of $111,563, U.S. Department of Defense branch chief jobs average $105,376, and U.S. Department of Defense defense contract management agency jobs average $97,879.
The lowest paying U.S. Department of Defense roles include customer service representative and administrative clerk. U.S. Department of Defense customer service representative average salary is $31,657 per year. So while the average U.S. Department of Defense salary is $56,890 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.
Highest paying jobs at U.S. Department of Defense
| Rank | Job Title | Average U.S. Department of Defense Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Counsel | $111,563 | $53.64 |
| 2 | Branch Chief | $105,376 | $50.66 |
| 3 | Defense Contract Management Agency | $97,879 | $47.06 |
| 4 | Team Leader | $90,363 | $43.44 |
| 5 | Contracting Officer | $82,819 | $39.82 |
| 6 | Contracts Specialist | $81,651 | $39.26 |
| 7 | Information Technology Specialist | $81,182 | $39.03 |
| 8 | Electronics Engineer | $76,669 | $36.86 |
| 9 | Management Analyst | $76,429 | $36.74 |
| 10 | Program Manager | $73,992 | $35.57 |
| 11 | Interpreter And Translator | $71,873 | $34.55 |
| 12 | Mechanical Engineer | $71,014 | $34.14 |
| 13 | Consultant | $68,007 | $32.70 |
| 14 | Systems Administrator | $66,522 | $31.98 |
| 15 | Project Manager | $66,036 | $31.75 |
| 16 | Motor Vehicle Operator | $64,596 | $31.06 |
| 17 | Squad Leader | $64,091 | $30.81 |
| 18 | Social Scientist | $63,953 | $30.75 |
| 19 | Supervisor | $63,485 | $30.52 |
| 20 | Inspector General | $59,048 | $28.39 |
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How much does U.S. Department of Defense pay by location?
Highest Paying U.S. Department of Defense Locations
| Rank | Location | Average U.S. Department of Defense Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $71,057 | $34.16 |
| 2 | Fairfield, CA | $64,299 | $30.91 |
| 3 | Indian Head, MD | $63,671 | $30.61 |
| 4 | Moorestown, NJ | $63,235 | $30.40 |
| 5 | Lewisville, WA | $62,130 | $29.87 |
| 6 | Dahlgren, VA | $61,595 | $29.61 |
| 7 | Scott Air Force Base, IL | $56,494 | $27.16 |
| 8 | San Antonio, TX | $53,857 | $25.89 |
| 9 | Fort Leonard Wood, MO | $53,135 | $25.55 |
| 10 | Offutt Air Force Base, NE | $53,091 | $25.52 |
| 11 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $52,598 | $25.29 |
| 12 | Crane, IN | $52,250 | $25.12 |
| 13 | Robins Air Force Base, GA | $51,930 | $24.97 |
| 14 | Pensacola, FL | $49,791 | $23.94 |
| 15 | Pascagoula, MS | $48,334 | $23.24 |
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U.S. Department of Defense salaries by department
Salaries at U.S. Department of Defense vary depending on the department you work in. U.S. Department of Defense salaries in the corporate management department are the highest with an average salary of $98,314. Employees in the legal department at U.S. Department of Defense receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $85,565 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at U.S. Department of Defense include the administrative and the customer service organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $40,222 and $43,008, respectively.
Average U.S. Department of Defense salary by department
| Rank | Department | Average U.S. Department of Defense Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corporate Management | $98,314 | $47.27 |
| 2 | Legal | $85,565 | $41.14 |
| 3 | Marketing | $72,321 | $34.77 |
| 4 | IT | $71,868 | $34.55 |
| 5 | Engineering | $70,794 | $34.04 |
| 6 | Finance | $70,748 | $34.01 |
| 7 | Plant/Manufacturing | $59,925 | $28.81 |
| 8 | Education | $59,808 | $28.75 |
| 9 | Research & Development | $56,690 | $27.25 |
| 10 | Non Profit/Government | $56,452 | $27.14 |
| 11 | Healthcare | $54,015 | $25.97 |
| 12 | Human Resources | $52,973 | $25.47 |
| 13 | Supply Chain | $52,763 | $25.37 |
| 14 | Facilities | $49,259 | $23.68 |
| 15 | Hospitality/Service | $48,218 | $23.18 |
| 16 | Accounting | $47,343 | $22.76 |
| 17 | Customer Service | $43,009 | $20.68 |
| 18 | Administrative | $40,223 | $19.34 |
How much does U.S. Department of Defense pay by department?
Best paying U.S. Department of Defense non profit/government salaries
| Rank | Position | Average U.S. Department of Defense Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drill Sergeant | $79,879 | $38.40 |
| 2 | Equal Opportunity Specialist | $75,796 | $36.44 |
| 3 | Program Manager | $73,992 | $35.57 |
| 4 | Airman First Class | $68,998 | $33.17 |
| 5 | Community Advisor | $66,379 | $31.91 |
| 6 | Cannon Fire Direction Specialist | $64,601 | $31.06 |
| 7 | Motor Vehicle Operator | $64,596 | $31.06 |
| 8 | Squad Leader | $64,091 | $30.81 |
| 9 | Fire Inspector | $63,024 | $30.30 |
| 10 | Social Worker | $60,860 | $29.26 |
| 11 | Staff Sergeant | $60,508 | $29.09 |
| 12 | Criminal Investigative Agent | $60,386 | $29.03 |
| 13 | US Marine | $58,195 | $27.98 |
| 14 | Corporal | $57,180 | $27.49 |
| 15 | Criminal Investigator | $54,664 | $26.28 |
| 16 | Police Officer | $54,215 | $26.06 |
| 17 | Machine Gunner | $52,998 | $25.48 |
| 18 | United States Marine | $51,365 | $24.69 |
| 19 | Police Detective | $51,161 | $24.60 |
| 20 | Park Ranger | $51,020 | $24.53 |
Best paying U.S. Department of Defense administrative salaries
| Rank | Position | Average U.S. Department of Defense Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Secretary | $51,280 | $24.65 |
| 2 | Project Management Internship | $40,692 | $19.56 |
| 3 | Administrative Assistant | $39,104 | $18.80 |
| 4 | Office Automation Clerk | $35,995 | $17.31 |
| 5 | Office Assistant | $34,769 | $16.72 |
| 6 | Administrative Clerk | $32,720 | $15.73 |
| 7 | Data Entry Operator | $31,540 | $15.16 |
| 8 | Test Administrator | $31,313 | $15.05 |
| 9 | Student Internship | $31,017 | $14.91 |
Best paying U.S. Department of Defense engineering salaries
| Rank | Position | Average U.S. Department of Defense Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sharepoint Architect | $103,332 | $49.68 |
| 2 | Senior Oracle Database Administrator | $97,113 | $46.69 |
| 3 | Computer Scientist | $83,244 | $40.02 |
| 4 | Configuration Management Lead | $78,773 | $37.87 |
| 5 | Electronics Engineer | $76,669 | $36.86 |
| 6 | Senior Project Manager | $72,305 | $34.76 |
| 7 | Mechanical Engineer | $71,014 | $34.14 |
| 8 | Applications Programmer | $67,313 | $32.36 |
| 9 | Telecommunications Specialist | $66,718 | $32.08 |
| 10 | Computer Specialist | $64,391 | $30.96 |
| 11 | GIS Analyst | $63,462 | $30.51 |
| 12 | Biomedical Equipment Technician | $57,607 | $27.70 |
| 13 | Data Analyst | $55,996 | $26.92 |
| 14 | Engineering Technician | $47,053 | $22.62 |
| 15 | Engineering Internship | $32,875 | $15.81 |
U.S. Department of Defense competitors’ average salaries
Average salaries at U.S. Department of Defense competitors, like Central Intelligence Agency, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and NRC, vary. Central Intelligence Agency employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $72,102. The average salary at National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is $64,086 per year, and the average salary at NRC is $62,403 per year.
Highest paying U.S. Department of Defense competitors
| Rank | Company Name | Zippia Score | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Intelligence Agency | 4.5 | $72,102 |
| 2 | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | 4.3 | $64,086 |
| 3 | NRC | 4.6 | $62,403 |
| 4 | U.S. Department of Labor | 4.4 | $60,643 |
| 5 | U.S. Department of State | 4.5 | $60,373 |
| 6 | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development | 4.7 | $60,138 |
| 7 | U.S. Department of Transportation | 4.5 | $59,868 |
| 8 | Hanford Site | 4.4 | $58,729 |
| 9 | U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission | 4.6 | $58,487 |
| 10 | GSA | 4.6 | $58,261 |
| 11 | City of Seattle | 4.5 | $58,099 |
| 12 | U.S. Department of Education | 4.6 | $57,710 |
| 13 | Lcra | 4.2 | $55,885 |
| 14 | United States Marine Corps | 4.3 | $51,769 |
| 15 | HHS.gov | 4.3 | $47,150 |
| 16 | U.S. Department of the Interior | 4.8 | $43,882 |
| 17 | Bureau of Engraving and Printing | 4.5 | $43,147 |
| 18 | ATF | 4.5 | $41,905 |
| 19 | Florida Department of Transportation | 4.1 | $34,515 |
| 20 | Maryland State Department of Education | 3.4 | $33,657 |
Recently added U.S. Department of Defense salaries
| Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware Design Engineer | Green Bay, WI | 12/09/2024 | $60,000 |
| Customer Service-Spare Parts | Green Bay, WI | 10/28/2024 | $37,566 |
| Commercial Relationship Manager III | Irvine, CA | 09/29/2024 | $148,800 |
| Commercial Loan Administrator (C&I) | Irvine, CA | 09/29/2024 | $74,500 |
| SBA Business Development Officer | Irvine, CA | 09/29/2024 | $106,800 |
What employees say about salary at U.S. Department of Defense
Entry level employees are vetted better than average. The training and integration are extensive resulting in a more committed workforce.
The upper echelons tend to be overly focused on personal advancement and task centric leadership. This results in difficulty retaining the best personnel and the promotion of suboptimal leaders.
The great work experience, the can do attitudes implemented in every sailor and the ability to learn and work efficiently under any situation.
The constant months away from home.
Having served my country therefore giving back for everything that this country gives.
Job security and retirement and health benefits.
There’s no sense of community, diversity, or inclusion. No incentives and bonuses. Work conditions are unhygienic. Work hours are too strict.
Every now and then we have pot luck lunches.
I like the training opportunities that are available.
There is not a lot of room/availability for advancement.
Health insurance and paid leave.
Data entry clerical certificate development training was appreciated
It's not opperational anymore
It was a summer time reoccurring position I had before college as a 4.0 gpa valediction of rangeview high School pre college employment
I'm serving my country by helping Active Duty Service Members heal
Administrative
health insurance and retirement
It made me the jack of all trades. Diversified my outlook on jobs I can obtain on the outside. Enhanced my communication skills.
Being away from my family for 6-9 months.
Going to the gym in the morning
Work life balance. Good pay, benefits and job security.
Politics
Essential worker status
Great benefits, travel and continued education
They promote individuals who make mistakes and destroy aircraft.
Pay raises, vacation time, sick leave and pay for sick leave not taken and pay for vacation days not taken.
Great pay and excellent insurance
Work life balance and be off a lot of times.
The life and health insurance
Vacation and sick time per year
DoD/Federal Bureaucracy
30 days of paid vacation per year
The traveling that the position offered
Remote work
Health Benefit and paid time off
Travel and learning experience
Leadership/management/politics
Great benefits
The opportunity to train with various weapons and equipment
The moving around and hours away from home
It's Monday through Friday
How early they start.
Matching 5% of my 5% retirement funds.
Frequently asked questions about U.S. Department of Defense salaries
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Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of U.S. Department of Defense, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about U.S. Department of Defense. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at U.S. Department of Defense. 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 U.S. Department of Defense. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of U.S. Department of Defense and its employees or that of Zippia.
U.S. Department of Defense may also be known as or be related to U.S. Department of Defense, United States Department Of Defense and United States Department of Defense.