Based on our March 2025 survey, nearly 59% of Regulatory Affairs professionals are considering changing jobs this year. As in previous years, the ability to work remotely—combined with expectations of higher compensation, flexibility, and company culture—remains the top driver for exploring new opportunities.
To better understand senior Regulatory candidates’ salary expectations in 2025, Dennis Partners surveyed professionals at the Director, Senior Director, Executive Director, Associate Vice President, Vice President, and Senior Vice President levels across three major biopharma hubs: California, New England, and New York/New Jersey/Pennsylvania. We asked:
What base salary range would you be looking for in your next Regulatory leadership career opportunity?
Based on this data, the salary expectations among senior Regulatory leaders remain high and are continuing to rise, particularly at the VP/SVP level. The majority of these professionals in all three regions expect base salaries exceeding $350K, with over 50% of respondents in NY/NJ/PA and New England expecting salaries over $400K.
At the Senior Director thru AVP levels, expectations have shifted upward as well, with more than half of respondents in New England and NY/NJ/PA expecting over $300K. Director level candidates across all regions are seeking salaries at $225K and above. New England respondents showed the highest ceiling expectations, with 100% of Senior Director thru AVP level respondents seeking over $300K.
We also asked:
What level of in-person presence would you be willing to commit to for your next Regulatory leadership role?
Remote Work and Hybrid Work
Consistent with previous years, relocation is still largely off the table for most senior Regulatory leaders, and flexibility around remote work remains a top priority.
In New England, preferences for Director level candidates are evenly split—33.33% of respondents are open to fully remote, hybrid with monthly travel, or hybrid with weekly travel arrangements, whereas 100% of Senior Director thru AVP levels are open to hybrid with monthly travel. For the VP/SVP level candidates, 50% are open to hybrid with weekly travel, and 25% are open to hybrid with monthly travel or fully remote. Notably, none were open to fully on-site roles.
In California, the majority of Director level candidates—75%—prefer hybrid roles with monthly travel, while 25% are still open to fully on-site opportunities. For Senior Director thru AVP levels, 50% are open to hybrid with monthly travel and 50% are open to fully remote arrangements. For VP/SVP levels, 40% of candidates are willing to consider hybrid with monthly travel, followed by fully remote (30%), hybrid with weekly travel (20%) and just 10% are willing to be fully on-site.
In the New York/New Jersey/Pennsylvania region, 37.5% of Director level candidates are open to fully remote roles, 50% prefer hybrid with monthly travel, and 12.5% would consider hybrid with weekly travel. For Senior Directors thru AVPs, 63.64% are open to hybrid with monthly travel, 27.27% are open to fully remote, and just 9.09% are open to hybrid with weekly travel. For VP/SVP level candidates, 75% are open to hybrid with monthly travel, and 25% are open to fully remote. None were open to fully on-site roles.
Remote and hybrid work flexibility is clearly still a critical component in attracting top-tier talent in 2025. Companies offering hybrid or remote options will have a distinct advantage in this competitive hiring landscape.
Final Thoughts
As biopharma companies expand into new therapeutic areas and technologies, the regulatory landscape continues to evolve—and so do salary expectations. To attract and retain top Regulatory talent, companies need to be strategic, proactive, and flexible.
Celebrating 22 years in business this month, Dennis Partners is an executive search firm 100% dedicated to Regulatory Affairs recruiting. Whether you’re building your leadership team or exploring your next opportunity, we provide unmatched insight and partnership at every step.
Contact us today to learn how we can help you achieve your Regulatory hiring and career goals in 2025.
