Program Director Salary By State: Highest-Paid Program Directors by State [2026]
Research Summary. Following thorough research by the Zippia data science team, we present updated insights into program director salaries across the United States for 2026:
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Georgia boasts the highest average program director salary at $97,222.
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Iowa has the lowest average salary for program directors at $45,652.
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The national average salary for program directors is $80,664.
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The national hourly wage for program directors is $38.78.
For more details, refer to our specific methodology.
Background
In surveys conducted across various demographics, salary remains the most crucial factor for job seekers. Many individuals ask themselves: how much do program directors earn in my area?
While individual salaries vary based on experience, industry, and location, we have reliable data on average program director salaries by state, categorized by seniority level. Although your local figures may differ slightly from the state average, these statistics provide a clear expectation of potential earnings.
Currently, Georgia leads the pack as the state offering the highest salaries for program directors.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for program director salaries:
Let’s delve deeper into the data and examine the complete ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Program Directors By State
| Rank | State | Average Program Director Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia | $97,222 | $58,000 | $161,000 |
| 2 | California | $94,469 | $56,000 | $159,000 |
| 3 | New York | $92,293 | $56,000 | $150,000 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $91,301 | $56,000 | $148,000 |
| 5 | Maryland | $85,704 | $52,000 | $140,000 |
| 6 | Nevada | $80,862 | $47,000 | $137,000 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $80,579 | $56,000 | $114,000 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $74,867 | $45,000 | $121,000 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $74,754 | $45,000 | $121,000 |
| 10 | Illinois | $74,666 | $45,000 | $122,000 |
| 11 | Texas | $74,654 | $44,000 | $125,000 |
| 12 | Washington | $74,582 | $43,000 | $127,000 |
| 13 | Virginia | $74,378 | $45,000 | $122,000 |
| 14 | Colorado | $74,249 | $45,000 | $121,000 |
| 15 | Michigan | $72,462 | $44,000 | $118,000 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $71,150 | $43,000 | $116,000 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $71,020 | $43,000 | $115,000 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $69,204 | $42,000 | $113,000 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $68,830 | $41,000 | $112,000 |
| 20 | Oregon | $68,713 | $39,000 | $118,000 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $67,587 | $40,000 | $113,000 |
| 22 | Utah | $66,670 | $39,000 | $111,000 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $66,427 | $40,000 | $110,000 |
| 24 | Missouri | $65,185 | $39,000 | $107,000 |
| 25 | Arizona | $64,591 | $38,000 | $108,000 |
| 26 | Ohio | $64,357 | $39,000 | $105,000 |
| 27 | Vermont | $64,008 | $39,000 | $104,000 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $62,985 | $37,000 | $104,000 |
| 29 | Idaho | $62,727 | $37,000 | $105,000 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $62,680 | $38,000 | $102,000 |
| 31 | Alabama | $61,880 | $37,000 | $103,000 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $61,811 | $37,000 | $101,000 |
| 33 | Delaware | $61,475 | $37,000 | $100,000 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $61,352 | $37,000 | $101,000 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $60,761 | $36,000 | $99,000 |
| 36 | Florida | $60,364 | $35,000 | $102,000 |
| 37 | Indiana | $60,127 | $36,000 | $98,000 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $59,619 | $35,000 | $98,000 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $59,527 | $35,000 | $98,000 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $59,233 | $36,000 | $97,000 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $57,731 | $34,000 | $96,000 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $55,561 | $33,000 | $91,000 |
| 43 | Kansas | $55,139 | $33,000 | $90,000 |
| 44 | Maine | $53,937 | $33,000 | $88,000 |
| 45 | Montana | $53,000 | $32,000 | $87,000 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $52,018 | $31,000 | $86,000 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $50,974 | $31,000 | $83,000 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $49,879 | $29,000 | $84,000 |
| 49 | Alaska | $48,443 | $28,000 | $83,000 |
| 50 | Iowa | $45,652 | $27,000 | $75,000 |
Methodology: Program Director Salary By State
To gain a comprehensive understanding of program director salaries by state, Zippia has compiled data from various reliable sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We enrich this data with actual salary listings from job postings. Our data science team computes a weighted average of these inputs to establish an average salary for program directors in each state.
The ranking of states is based on average annual salary data for program directors, with the highest average salary assigned the top rank.
Program Director Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for program directors?
The highest-paid state for program directors is Georgia with an average salary of $97,222 per year.
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What city pays program directors the most?
San Francisco, CA offers the highest salary for program directors at $99,127 per year.
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What is the lowest-paying state for program directors?
The lowest-paying state for program directors is Iowa, with an average salary of $45,652 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
