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The average salary for a Development Specialist is approximately $60,344 annually or $29 per hour. Salaries can vary based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and industry sector. For instance, Development Specialists in high-demand areas or industries such as technology and healthcare tend to earn more.
Experience levels significantly influence salary; entry-level positions typically start lower, while those with extensive experience and specialized skills can command higher salaries.
When examining salary by state, Development Specialists in states like California and New York generally earn higher wages compared to those in regions with lower living costs. This disparity reflects the local demand for skilled professionals and the cost of living adjustments.
As a Development Specialist, opportunities exist in non-profits, educational institutions, and corporate sectors. Each setting offers unique challenges and rewards, making it essential to choose a path that suits your career aspirations. By staying informed on salary trends and job markets, you can make strategic career decisions that enhance your professional growth.
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The highest-paying states for development specialists are New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York. The lowest average development specialist salary states are Arkansas, Florida, and South Carolina.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $69,084 | $33.21 |
| 2 | Maryland | $69,102 | $33.22 |
| 3 | Michigan | $67,708 | $32.55 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $59,926 | $28.81 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $76,777 | $36.91 |
| 6 | New York | $76,035 | $36.56 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $77,530 | $37.27 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $68,878 | $33.11 |
| 9 | Washington | $70,158 | $33.73 |
| 10 | Virginia | $68,852 | $33.10 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $60,083 | $28.89 |
| 12 | Illinois | $67,526 | $32.46 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $58,683 | $28.21 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $70,259 | $33.78 |
| 15 | Maine | $56,207 | $27.02 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $70,637 | $33.96 |
| 17 | Delaware | $64,667 | $31.09 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $56,343 | $27.09 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $56,358 | $27.10 |
| 20 | Arizona | $52,956 | $25.46 |
| 21 | Iowa | $53,120 | $25.54 |
| 22 | Ohio | $56,278 | $27.06 |
| 23 | Texas | $57,799 | $27.79 |
| 24 | California | $65,379 | $31.43 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $54,030 | $25.98 |
| 26 | Kansas | $52,818 | $25.39 |
| 27 | Idaho | $56,298 | $27.07 |
| 28 | Alaska | $50,686 | $24.37 |
| 29 | Indiana | $51,088 | $24.56 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $50,323 | $24.19 |
| 31 | Nevada | $50,897 | $24.47 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $48,457 | $23.30 |
| 33 | Hawaii | $48,625 | $23.38 |
| 34 | Vermont | $53,683 | $25.81 |
| 35 | Colorado | $55,255 | $26.56 |
| 36 | Oregon | $56,209 | $27.02 |
| 37 | Montana | $47,359 | $22.77 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $48,905 | $23.51 |
| 39 | Missouri | $51,085 | $24.56 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $48,149 | $23.15 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $48,991 | $23.55 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $43,663 | $20.99 |
| 43 | Georgia | $46,434 | $22.32 |
| 44 | Alabama | $46,611 | $22.41 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $45,977 | $22.10 |
| 46 | Florida | $42,450 | $20.41 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $40,755 | $19.59 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $40,881 | $19.65 |
| 49 | Utah | $44,125 | $21.21 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $40,594 | $19.52 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $41,404 | $19.91 |
The highest-paying cities for development specialists are Edison, NJ, New York, NY, and San Francisco, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edison, NJ | $77,705 | $37.36 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $76,261 | $36.66 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $72,052 | $34.64 |
| 4 | Olympia, WA | $71,349 | $34.30 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $70,539 | $33.91 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $70,218 | $33.76 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $68,069 | $32.73 |
| 8 | Ann Arbor, MI | $67,576 | $32.49 |
| 9 | Minneapolis, MN | $60,144 | $28.92 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $59,018 | $28.37 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $57,997 | $27.88 |
| 12 | Cleveland, OH | $57,984 | $27.88 |
| 13 | Madison, WI | $55,975 | $26.91 |
| 14 | Denver, CO | $55,291 | $26.58 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | $53,077 | $25.52 |
| 16 | Saint Louis, MO | $52,009 | $25.00 |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $50,612 | $24.33 |
| 18 | Raleigh, NC | $50,203 | $24.14 |
| 19 | Madison, MS | $49,240 | $23.67 |
| 20 | Cleveland, TN | $48,138 | $23.14 |
Development Specialists are the most in-demand in these five cities:
A development specialist's salary ranges from $37,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $96,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $96,000 | $8,000 | $46 |
| 75th Percentile | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37 |
| Average | $60,344 | $5,029 | $29 |
| 25th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
| 10th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
The highest paying types of development specialists are senior technician specialist, staff specialist, and senior training specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Training Coordinator | $46,698 | $3,891 | $22.45 | 54,796 |
| Training Consultant | $56,760 | $4,730 | $27.29 | 52,054 |
| Training Facilitator | $51,968 | $4,331 | $24.98 | 39,523 |
| Training Developer | $62,974 | $5,248 | $30.28 | 108,369 |
| Leadership Development Program | $71,543 | $5,962 | $34.40 | 108,214 |
| Staff Development Coordinator | $63,198 | $5,266 | $30.38 | 155,578 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for development specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Rowan University
Top companies hiring development specialists now:
Development specialist salaries at Ropes & Gray and Google are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average development specialist salary at companies like First Republic Bank and BNY Mellon are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ropes & Gray | $177,700 | $85.43 |
| 2 | $125,482 | $60.33 | |
| 3 | First Republic Bank | $122,552 | $58.92 |
| 4 | BNY Mellon | $120,564 | $57.96 |
| 5 | McKinsey & Company Inc | $120,370 | $57.87 |
| 6 | Koch Industries | $119,039 | $57.23 |
| 7 | Varian Medical Systems | $118,992 | $57.21 |
| 8 | Citi | $118,302 | $56.88 |
| 9 | Abbott | $118,071 | $56.76 |
| 10 | VMware | $117,501 | $56.49 |
| 11 | Mitsubishi Motors | $117,349 | $56.42 |
| 12 | SAP | $116,189 | $55.86 |
| 13 | Bloomberg | $115,463 | $55.51 |
| 14 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $115,029 | $55.30 |
| 15 | Morgan Stanley | $113,759 | $54.69 |
| 16 | Applied Materials | $113,715 | $54.67 |
| 17 | Medtronic | $113,460 | $54.55 |
| 18 | Summit Electric Supply | $113,240 | $54.44 |
| 19 | Parsons | $111,981 | $53.84 |
| 20 | Zscaler | $111,922 | $53.81 |
The average development specialist salary has risen by $7,267 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average development specialist earned $53,077 annually, but today, they earn $60,344 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for development specialists over the last decade.
Compare development specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare development specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $60,300 | $29.01 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $58,900 | $28.32 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | $58,600 | $28.16 | +0.8% |
| 2022 | $58,100 | $27.93 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $56,800 | $27.31 | +1.4% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Corporation International | Cemetery Development Specialist | Whittier, CA | 06/30/2025 | $62,610 |
| Penumbra | Therapy Development Specialist-Chicago, IL, Milwaukee, WI, or | Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $100,000 |
| Jmfamily | Development Specialist | Maryland | 06/29/2025 | $65,000 |
| Jmfamily | Development Specialist | Ione, OR | 06/29/2025 | $65,000 |
| Medtronic | Senior Corevalve Therapy Development Specialist | Norwalk, CT | 06/29/2025 | $128,000 |
| Equus Holdings | Talent Development Specialist (800017)-Gwinnett County Travel | Duluth, GA | 06/29/2025 | $44,871 |
| Brighton Center Inc. | Talent Development Specialist | Covington, KY | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| Nj Sharing Network | Hospital Development Specialist (Essex and Hudson) | New Providence, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $54,800 |
| Careers | By The Hand Club for Kids | Spiritual Development Specialist Austin Site With Benefits) | Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| New Jersey Sharing Network | Hospital Development Specialist (Bergen and Passaic) | New Providence, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $54,800 |
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