How many employees work at NRL?
Naval Research Laboratory has approximately 3,745 total employees worldwide as of March 2026, according to Revelio Labs workforce intelligence data. NRL’s total headcount has declined 3.1% from 3,866 employees in 2023 to 3,745 in 2026.
Is NRL hiring right now?
No, NRL is not actively hiring. NRL had 0 active job postings in 2026, a 0.0% no change from 2025 — see job openings & hiring trends.
About NRL’s Workforce
Naval Research Laboratory is a Research and Development company that employs 3,745 people worldwide as of March 2026. It is the 4th-largest by headcount among its peers. Founded in 1923, the company is headquartered in Washington, Washington, D.C..
NRL's workforce has declined 3.1% from 2023 to 2026, down 1.0% year over year in 2026. It fell to a low of 3,745 in 2026 Q1 before recovering. Its workforce is concentrated most in North America (96.2%), followed by East Asia (1.5%) and Southern Europe (0.8%).
NRL's functional groups are Finance and Operations (54.5%), Engineering (27.0%), and Sales and Marketing (18.4%). The average salary is $109,544, ranging from a median of $111,000 in North America to $46,000 in East Asia.
NRL's hiring activity held steady in 2026. Overall employee sentiment is neutral but declining.
Sourced from Revelio Labs workforce data.
- Headquarters
- Washington, Washington, D.C.
- Founded
- 1923
- Industry
- Research and Development
- Employees
- 3,745
- YoY
- -1.0% (-61)
As of March 2026
NRL workforce metrics
Unlock hiring rate, attrition rate, and 12 additional workforce metrics for NRL. Compare to peers, export the dataset, and access the full quarterly history.
Unlock MetricsNRL Annual Employee Count (2023-2026)
- NRL had 3,745 employees in 2026, a 1.0% decline (-61) from 2025.
- NRL had 3,750 employees in 2025, a 1.1% decline (-76) from 2024.
- NRL had 3,826 employees in 2024, a 0.8% increase (+75) from 2023.
- NRL had 3,751 employees in 2023, a 0.9% increase (+44) from 2022.
NRL's total workforce has declined from 3,866 employees in 2023 to 3,745 in 2026. NRL's headcount peaked at 3,921 in 2024.
Naval Research Laboratory quarterly employee count
| Year | Qtr | Employees | YoY Change | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Q1 | 3,745 | -61 | -1.0% |
| 2025 | Q4 | 3,750 | -76 | -1.1% |
| 2025 | Q3 | 3,777 | -70 | -1.1% |
| 2025 | Q2 | 3,871 | -50 | -0.8% |
| 2025 | Q1 | 3,806 | +58 | +0.6% |
| 2024 | Q4 | 3,826 | +75 | +0.8% |
| 2024 | Q3 | 3,847 | +89 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | Q2 | 3,921 | +55 | +0.8% |
| 2024 | Q1 | 3,748 | +44 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | Q4 | 3,751 | +44 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | Q3 | 3,758 | +16 | +0.9% |
| 2023 | Q2 | 3,866 | +36 | +1.1% |
See NRL's complete headcount history, including quarterly breakdowns.
Get the DataNRL Employee Count by Region (2026)
North America accounts for the largest share of NRL's global workforce with approximately 96% of total employees, followed by East Asia and Southern Europe.
NRL employees by region
| Region | Employees | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| North America | 3,580 | 96.2% |
| East Asia | 55 | 1.5% |
| Southern Europe | 28 | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islands | 12 | 0.3% |
| Arab States | 9 | 0.2% |
| South Asia | 8 | 0.2% |
| Central America and the Caribbean | 8 | 0.2% |
| North Africa | 7 | 0.2% |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 6 | 0.2% |
| South America | 4 | 0.1% |
Drill into city-level data, hiring trends by region, and historic geographic shifts.
Unlock Geographic DataNRL Employee Count by Department (2026)
NRL's employee groups are Finance and Operations (54.5%), Engineering (27.0%), and Sales and Marketing (18.4%).
NRL employees by department
| Department | Employees | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Operations | 1,968 | 54.5% |
| Engineering | 975 | 27.0% |
| Sales and Marketing | 665 | 18.4% |
Compare NRL's department mix to industry peers.
See Full DataNRL Employee Salary by Region (2026)
NRL's average employee salary is $109,544 globally. Employees in North America receive the highest compensation. Pay is lowest in East Asia, at a median of $46,000.
NRL median employee salary by region (USD)
| Region | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| North America | $111,000 |
| Pacific Islands | $65,000 |
| Southern Europe | $55,000 |
| Arab States | $48,000 |
| Central America and the Caribbean | $48,000 |
| East Asia | $46,000 |
| Southeast Asia | $35,000 |
| South America | $17,000 |
| South Asia | $8,000 |
| North Africa | $7,000 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | $5,000 |
Unlock salary by role, level, and city — and compare to NRL's industry peers.
Unlock Salary DataNRL Job Openings and Hiring Trends (2023-2026)
- NRL had 0 active job postings in 2026, a 0% no change from 2025.
- NRL had 0 active job postings in 2025, a 0% no change from 2024.
- NRL had 0 active job postings in 2024, a 200.0% decline (-1) from 2023.
- NRL had 1 active job postings in 2023, a 0% no change from 2022.
- Hiring velocity in 2026: 0 new roles/month, up from 0 in 2025 and 1 in 2024.
NRL's hiring activity held steady in 2026.
Track new postings per month, role-level demand, and hiring velocity vs. peers.
Unlock Hiring DataNRL Employee Sentiment (2026)
Revelio Labs tracks employee sentiment across NRL's workforce based on public professional data. Overall sentiment is neutral and has declined year over year in 2026.
Overall
Unlock the full sentiment breakdown by department, tenure, and trend over time.
Unlock SentimentSimilar Companies
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Frequently Asked Questions About NRL
- How fast is NRL growing?
- In 2026, NRL's headcount shrank 1.0% to 3,745 employees, down from 3,806 in 2025.
- See the full headcount history
- Where are NRL employees located?
- Most NRL employees are based in North America (96.2% of headcount), followed by East Asia and Southern Europe.
- Explore where the workforce is based
- What is the average salary at NRL?
- The average employee salary at NRL is approximately $109.5k per year.
- Analyze the salary distribution
- How many new job postings does NRL open per year?
- In Q1 2026, NRL opened 0 new job postings. In 2025, NRL opened 2 new job postings — about 0 per month.
- Track hiring trends by role
- When was NRL founded and where is it headquartered?
- NRL was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Washington, Washington, D.C..
- Compare NRL to industry peers
Speak with a workforce expert about NRL.
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