# Regulatory Affairs Specialists

> Coordinate and document internal regulatory processes, such as internal audits, inspections, license renewals, or registrations. May compile and prepare materials for submission to regulatory agencies.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/regulatory-affairs-specialists
- SOC code: 13-1041.07
- Career family: Business and finance
- Median annual pay: $80,730 (10th percentile $48,220, 90th percentile $133,720)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +3.8%
- Openings a year: 32,700
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Compliance officers".

## Interest profile (code CEI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 7 |
| Investigative (I) | 39 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 25 |
| Enterprising (E) | 58 |
| Conventional (C) | 89 |

## What you'd do

- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 94/100)
- Getting Information (importance 90/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 86/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 86/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 83/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 83/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 81/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 79/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 79/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 79/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Writing, Complex Problem Solving, Systems Analysis, Active Learning, Systems Evaluation

## Knowledge

English Language, Law and Government, Administration and Management, Administrative, Computers and Electronics, Medicine and Dentistry, Engineering and Technology, Mathematics, Biology, Education and Training

## Also called

Drug Regulatory Affairs Specialist, QA Documentation Coordinator (Quality Assurance Documentation Coordinator), QA Documentation Specialist (Quality Assurance Documentation Specialist), QA Specialist (Quality Assurance Specialist), RA Analyst (Regulatory Affairs Analyst), RA Associate (Regulatory Affairs Associate), RA Consultant (Regulatory Affairs Consultant), RA Coordinator (Regulatory Affairs Coordinator), RA Strategist (Regulatory Affairs Strategist), Regulatory Affairs Scientist (RA Scientist)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Criminal Justice and Corrections](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4301) (CIP 4301, 1,742 colleges)
- [Health and Medical Administrative Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5107) (CIP 5107, 1,585 colleges)
- [Natural Resources Conservation and Research](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0301) (CIP 0301, 1,081 colleges)
- [Public Health](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5122) (CIP 5122, 836 colleges)
- [Human Resources Management and Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5210) (CIP 5210, 758 colleges)
- [Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0302) (CIP 0302, 204 colleges)
- Environmental Geosciences (CIP 3041, 17 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Georgetown University-DC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/georgetown-university-dc-1068) | Health and Medical Administrative Services | not reported | $143,686 | $11,000 |
| [Cornell University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cornell-university-new-york-710) | Human Resources Management and Services | $74,192 | $112,713 | $12,000 |
| [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill-main-campus-2990) | Health and Medical Administrative Services | $44,456 | $110,204 | not reported |
| [Northwestern University-Illinois](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northwestern-university-illinois-1966) | Human Resources Management and Services | $98,392 | $108,498 | not reported |
| [Calumet College of Saint Joseph](https://www.collegesref.com/college/calumet-college-of-saint-joseph-380) | Criminal Justice and Corrections | $54,078 | $106,465 | $20,417 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Human Resources Management and Services | $69,663 | $99,594 | $20,596 |
| [George Washington University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/george-washington-university-1066) | Human Resources Management and Services | $58,393 | $97,126 | $20,000 |
| [Brigham Young University-Provo BYU Utah](https://www.collegesref.com/college/brigham-young-university-provo-byu-utah-302) | Human Resources Management and Services | $66,527 | $96,354 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Regulatory Affairs Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/regulatory-affairs-managers): $141,900 median pay
- [Compliance Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/compliance-managers): $141,900 median pay
- [Environmental Compliance Inspectors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/environmental-compliance-inspectors): $80,730 median pay
- [Government Property Inspectors and Investigators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/government-property-inspectors-and-investigators): $80,730 median pay
- [Compliance Officers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/compliance-officers): $80,730 median pay
- [Quality Control Systems Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/quality-control-systems-managers): $126,060 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.