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Director of clinical operations salary
Average director of clinical operations salary
$130,421
Understanding the Salary of a Director of Clinical Operations
As a Director of Clinical Operations, you play a crucial role in managing clinical practices and ensuring quality patient care. In October 2025, the average salary stands at $130,421 per year, which translates to about $63 per hour. Salary levels can fluctuate based on several factors, including geographical location, years of experience, and the particular healthcare sector in which one works.
State-Specific Salary Insights
Some states offer higher salaries than others for this role. For instance, California and New York are among the highest-paying states for Directors of Clinical Operations, reflecting the cost of living and demand for healthcare professionals.
Salary Estimates Over Time
Over the past few years, salary trends have shown an upward trajectory, indicating a growing demand for skilled professionals in healthcare management. Directors of Clinical Operations with extensive experience and specialized skills may negotiate higher salaries and benefits.
Career Advancement Opportunities
Exploring job opportunities and understanding salary dynamics in this field can lead to informed decisions about your career trajectory. Utilize resources like Zippia to stay updated on the latest salary trends and job openings that match your qualifications.
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Where can a Director Of Clinical Operations earn more?
Director of clinical operations salary estimates from across the web
Average director of clinical operations salary by state
The average director of clinical operations salary in California, Alaska, and Maine are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average director of clinical operations salary states are Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Florida.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for directors of clinical operations
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $150,532 | $72.37 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $140,228 | $67.42 |
| 3 | Nevada | $144,092 | $69.28 |
| 4 | Oregon | $132,822 | $63.86 |
| 5 | Alaska | $160,648 | $77.23 |
| 6 | Washington | $131,392 | $63.17 |
| 7 | Vermont | $128,130 | $61.60 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $141,723 | $68.14 |
| 9 | California | $161,038 | $77.42 |
| 10 | Idaho | $131,168 | $63.06 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $118,125 | $56.79 |
| 12 | Arizona | $136,181 | $65.47 |
| 13 | Delaware | $138,287 | $66.48 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $137,449 | $66.08 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $112,476 | $54.08 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $135,595 | $65.19 |
| 17 | Utah | $113,931 | $54.77 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $103,650 | $49.83 |
| 19 | Illinois | $114,453 | $55.03 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $131,152 | $63.05 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $117,583 | $56.53 |
| 22 | New York | $126,443 | $60.79 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $119,405 | $57.41 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $124,633 | $59.92 |
| 25 | Georgia | $111,697 | $53.70 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $102,964 | $49.50 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $97,009 | $46.64 |
| 28 | Ohio | $105,247 | $50.60 |
| 29 | Alabama | $100,161 | $48.15 |
| 30 | Montana | $100,517 | $48.33 |
| 31 | Missouri | $105,981 | $50.95 |
| 32 | Michigan | $106,788 | $51.34 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $95,997 | $46.15 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $99,556 | $47.86 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $95,287 | $45.81 |
| 36 | Virginia | $112,969 | $54.31 |
| 37 | Texas | $96,452 | $46.37 |
| 38 | Maryland | $113,098 | $54.37 |
| 39 | Minnesota | $95,053 | $45.70 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $92,607 | $44.52 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $91,776 | $44.12 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $88,567 | $42.58 |
| 43 | Indiana | $88,844 | $42.71 |
| 44 | Florida | $85,345 | $41.03 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $86,096 | $41.39 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $86,676 | $41.67 |
| 47 | Colorado | $91,625 | $44.05 |
| 48 | Kansas | $81,663 | $39.26 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $80,506 | $38.70 |
| 50 | North Dakota | $85,380 | $41.05 |
| 51 | Iowa | $81,536 | $39.20 |
Highest paying cities for directors of clinical operations
The highest-paying cities for directors of clinical operations are San Francisco, CA, Camden, NJ, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $176,292 | $84.76 |
| 2 | Camden, NJ | $139,636 | $67.13 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $138,847 | $66.75 |
| 4 | Phoenix, AZ | $138,287 | $66.48 |
| 5 | Ridgefield, CT | $135,076 | $64.94 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $133,936 | $64.39 |
| 7 | Albany, NY | $129,882 | $62.44 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $124,999 | $60.10 |
| 9 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $118,189 | $56.82 |
| 10 | Arlington Heights, IL | $115,069 | $55.32 |
| 11 | Baltimore, MD | $114,081 | $54.85 |
| 12 | Salt Lake City, UT | $113,381 | $54.51 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $111,497 | $53.60 |
| 14 | Springfield, MO | $106,979 | $51.43 |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $104,717 | $50.34 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $104,137 | $50.07 |
| 17 | Raleigh, NC | $101,408 | $48.75 |
| 18 | Austin, TX | $96,474 | $46.38 |
| 19 | Baton Rouge, LA | $96,123 | $46.21 |
| 20 | Columbia, SC | $95,371 | $45.85 |
Director of clinical operations salary details
A director of clinical operations's salary ranges from $85,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $198,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a director of clinical operations's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $198,000 | $16,500 | $95 |
| 75th Percentile | $162,000 | $13,500 | $78 |
| Average | $130,421 | $10,868 | $63 |
| 25th Percentile | $104,000 | $8,667 | $50 |
| 10th Percentile | $85,000 | $7,083 | $41 |
Highest paying director of clinical operations jobs
The highest paying types of directors of clinical operations are medical director, director of professional services, and director, network operations.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processing Manager | $91,663 | $7,639 | $44.07 | 294,102 |
| Laboratory Director | $92,971 | $7,748 | $44.70 | 59,500 |
| Wellness Director | $73,888 | $6,157 | $35.52 | 31,522 |
| Medical Director | $230,317 | $19,193 | $110.73 | 75,810 |
| Nursing Director | $87,643 | $7,304 | $42.14 | 76,956 |
| Service Director | $114,981 | $9,582 | $55.28 | 64,277 |
Top companies hiring directors of clinical operations now:
Which companies pay directors of clinical operations the most?
Director of clinical operations salaries at North Kansas City Hospital and Community Health Systems are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average director of clinical operations salary at companies like HealthRIGHT 360 and Sharecare are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Kansas City Hospital | $188,086 | $90.43 |
| 2 | Community Health Systems | $186,734 | $89.78 |
| 3 | HealthRIGHT 360 | $186,034 | $89.44 |
| 4 | Sharecare | $180,187 | $86.63 |
| 5 | Rio Grande Hospital | $165,626 | $79.63 |
| 6 | TMS Health | $165,058 | $79.35 |
| 7 | Veeva Systems | $164,637 | $79.15 |
| 8 | Precigen | $164,378 | $79.03 |
| 9 | The Evergreens | $164,031 | $78.86 |
| 10 | Sanofi US | $161,500 | $77.64 |
| 11 | Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | $160,690 | $77.25 |
| 12 | Daiichi Sankyo | $159,413 | $76.64 |
| 13 | St Joseph Medical Group | $159,051 | $76.47 |
| 14 | Hawaii Pacific Health | $158,831 | $76.36 |
| 15 | Community Medical Center | $158,620 | $76.26 |
| 16 | Corcept Therapeutics | $158,610 | $76.25 |
| 17 | Scripps Health | $158,286 | $76.10 |
| 18 | MemorialCare | $158,186 | $76.05 |
| 19 | Biogen | $158,097 | $76.01 |
| 20 | Allergan plc | $157,398 | $75.67 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Director of clinical operations salary trends
The average director of clinical operations salary has risen by $22,362 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average director of clinical operations earned $108,059 annually, but today, they earn $130,421 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for directors of clinical operations over the last decade.
Compare director of clinical operations salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average director of clinical operations salary over time
Compare director of clinical operations salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Director of clinical operations salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $130,000 | $62.70 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $126,000 | $60.72 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $125,000 | $59.97 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $123,000 | $59.14 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $121,000 | $58.05 | +2.1% |
Recently added director of clinical operations salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbvie | Director, Clinical Operations & Chief of Staff | North Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $156,000 |
| Gentiva Hospice | Area Director Clinical Operations | Seattle, WA | 06/29/2025 | $120,000 |
| Merck | Director, Clinical Operations-Global Site Agreements-Hybrid | Rahway, NJ | 06/28/2025 | $169,700 |
| State of Minnesota | Director of Clinical Operations-Registered Nurse Administrative Supervisor | Shakopee, MN | 06/27/2025 | $97,948 |
| Summit Therapeutics Plc | Associate Director, Clinical Operations | Menlo Park, CA | 06/27/2025 | $168,500 |
| Ascension Health | Clinical Operations Director | Chattanooga, TN | 06/27/2025 | $98,470 |
| Bethesda Health | Administrative Director Clinical Research Operations, Lynn Cancer Institute, 8A P | Boca Raton, FL | 06/26/2025 | $124,284 |
| Northwell Health | Director, Clinical Laboratory Operations | New Hyde Park, NY | 06/26/2025 | $130,300 |
| Theoria Medical | Regional Director of Clinical Operations | Livonia, MI | 06/26/2025 | $130,000 |
| Baptisthlth | Administrative Director Clinical Research Operations, Lynn Cancer Institute, 8A P | Boca Raton, FL | 06/26/2025 | $124,284 |
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