ESG Analyst.
Raleigh.
$91,000
median salary, 1% below the national average
$69,000 to $121,000. Updated for 2026.
The numbers.
Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.
Here is what ESG Analysts actually make in Raleigh: $69,000 at the 25th percentile, $91,000 at the median, and $121,000 at the 75th. That is 1% below the national average. Raleigh sits at the heart of the Research Triangle, one of America's premier tech and life sciences corridors. The number on your offer letter will depend on what you bring and how you ask.
Salary range
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How Raleigh compares
Raleigh, NC
$91,000
Cost of living: 1% below average
National Average
$92,000
Raleigh is $1,000 below
What you should know
If you are interviewing for ESG Analyst roles in Raleigh, here is what you are walking into. Raleigh sits at the heart of the Research Triangle, one of America's premier tech and life sciences corridors. Cisco, Red Hat, Epic Games, and numerous biotech firms drive strong demand for engineering, research, and product roles. The combination of top tier universities and moderate living costs creates an exceptionally favorable salary to expense ratio. Financial analysis background, expertise in ESG rating frameworks like MSCI and Sustainalytics, and experience with regulatory reporting create the widest salary gaps. Analysts at asset managers, investment banks, or large corporations earn 20 to 30% more than those at nonprofits or small consultancies.
Junior ESG Analysts start at $70,000 to $82,000. Mid-level analysts with regulatory expertise earn $88,000 to $108,000. Senior ESG Analysts and Managers command $110,000 to $135,000, while Directors and Heads of ESG at investment firms exceed $160,000. In Raleigh, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Analysts at financial institutions receive performance bonuses of 15 to 30%. RSUs at public companies add $10,000 to $30,000 annually. The competitive talent market means signing bonuses of $5,000 to $15,000 are increasingly common. And on the tax side: north Carolina's flat 4.5% income tax keeps the burden low. Raleigh has no city income tax, and the Triangle's affordable housing amplifies your take home purchasing power. When someone quotes you $91,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Cite Research Triangle talent competition in your negotiation. Employers here compete directly with each other and with remote offers, creating favorable leverage for candidates. The range for ESG Analysts in Raleigh runs from $69,000 to $121,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Top industries in Raleigh
Negotiating in Raleigh
Cite Research Triangle talent competition in your negotiation. Employers here compete directly with each other and with remote offers, creating favorable leverage for candidates.