Do Think Tanks pay well? If you want to change the world for better, should you work in a think ... Jul 13, 2015 According to Indeed, the average think tank salary is $66,000.” Junior analysts and professional scholars and staffers at think tanks make between $35,000 and $50,000 annually. Mid-level think tank scholars and analysts earn from $50,000 to $80,000. Senior analysts are typically paid $80,000 to $200,000.