Post job

Director of institutional research salary

Average director of institutional research salary

$88,935

$42.76 hourly rate

Entry-level director of institutional research salary
$61,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding the Salary of a Director of Institutional Research

The Director of Institutional Research plays a critical role in educational institutions by analyzing data to inform strategic decisions. As of October 2025, the average salary for this role is $88,935 per year, translating to approximately $43 an hour. Salaries can differ based on various factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the type of institution.

For example, states such as California and New York typically offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. Additionally, directors with advanced degrees or extensive experience often command higher wages. Exploring salary estimates helps candidates assess their earning potential and make informed decisions about job offers.

Salary Estimates Across the U.S.

In analyzing the average salary by state, it's evident that regions with a higher concentration of educational institutions tend to offer better compensation packages. This data is crucial for those seeking to negotiate their salaries effectively. With the evolving landscape of education and institutional needs, staying informed about salary trends is essential for career advancement.

On this page
Director of institutional research salary by: 

Let Zippia find your next director of institutional research job

Floating question marks illustration

Let Zippia find your next director of institutional research job

Floating question marks illustration

Where can a Director Of Institutional Research earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
140k
120k
100k
80k
60k
40k
Columbus, OH$124,389
Madison, WI$69,654
Compare salary by company
Vs
156k
136k
116k
96k
76k
56k
JPMorgan Chase & Co.$129,772
Santa Clara University$86,366

Director of institutional research salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Glassdoor, Ziprecruiter and SalaryExpert, the average salary for a director of institutional research typically falls between $88,935 and $200,907.
zippia
$88,935yearly
glassdoor[1]
$200,907yearly
ZipRecruiter[2]
$92,250yearly
SalaryExpert[3]
$107,479yearly

Average director of institutional research salary by state

The highest-paying states for directors of institutional research are California, Arizona, and New Jersey. The lowest average director of institutional research salary states are Maine, Alabama, and Missouri.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for directors of institutional research

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1California$117,561$56.52
2Oregon$96,298$46.30
3Oklahoma$90,686$43.60
4Arizona$105,057$50.51
5Minnesota$94,072$45.23
6Iowa$90,194$43.36
7New Jersey$96,379$46.34
8New Hampshire$90,763$43.64
9Illinois$93,929$45.16
10Indiana$94,271$45.32
11Michigan$87,807$42.21
12Idaho$91,498$43.99
13Utah$87,854$42.24
14Mississippi$83,123$39.96
15Nevada$90,257$43.39
16Connecticut$90,998$43.75
17Delaware$89,463$43.01
18Alaska$91,682$44.08
19Montana$86,195$41.44
20Washington$92,774$44.60
21New Mexico$84,316$40.54
22North Carolina$86,585$41.63
23Vermont$84,036$40.40
24District of Columbia$95,312$45.82
25Texas$84,903$40.82
26Virginia$87,669$42.15
27Wyoming$81,205$39.04
28South Dakota$79,229$38.09
29Arkansas$77,155$37.09
30Louisiana$79,198$38.08
31Pennsylvania$78,691$37.83
32Ohio$80,046$38.48
33Massachusetts$89,657$43.10
34Hawaii$89,584$43.07
35Rhode Island$78,298$37.64
36New York$88,979$42.78
37Tennessee$76,503$36.78
38West Virginia$77,467$37.24
39Nebraska$79,401$38.17
40Florida$81,007$38.95
41Alabama$73,928$35.54
42North Dakota$78,216$37.60
43Colorado$75,727$36.41
44Maine$74,606$35.87
45Kansas$76,619$36.84
46Missouri$73,682$35.42
47Georgia$75,382$36.24
48Maryland$78,742$37.86
49Kentucky$73,395$35.29
50Wisconsin$70,288$33.79
51South Carolina$72,866$35.03
Top director of institutional research jobs near you

Highest paying cities for directors of institutional research

The highest-paying cities for directors of institutional research are Santa Clara, CA, Newark, NJ, and Chicago, IL.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Santa Clara, CA$124,389$59.80
2Newark, NJ$96,266$46.28
3Chicago, IL$94,291$45.33
4Indianapolis, IN$93,955$45.17
5Seattle, WA$93,866$45.13
6Hartford, CT$90,380$43.45
7Shrewsbury, MA$90,055$43.30
8New York, NY$89,203$42.89
9Las Cruces, NM$87,079$41.86
10San Antonio, TX$86,689$41.68
11Jacksonville, FL$82,217$39.53
12Baltimore, MD$78,890$37.93
13Williamsport, PA$78,269$37.63
14Jackson, TN$76,217$36.64
15Denver, CO$75,583$36.34
16Atlanta, GA$75,196$36.15
17Columbia, SC$72,918$35.06
18Madison, WI$69,654$33.49

Director of institutional research salary details

A director of institutional research's salary ranges from $61,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $128,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average director of institutional research salary graph
Average director of institutional research salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a director of institutional research's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$128,000$10,667$62
75th Percentile$107,000$8,917$51
Average$88,935$7,411$43
25th Percentile$73,000$6,083$35
10th Percentile$61,000$5,083$29

Highest paying director of institutional research jobs

The highest paying types of directors of institutional research are research director, clinical project manager, and clinical research manager.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Study Coordinator$47,435$3,953$22.8114,929
Clinical Trial Coordinator$50,720$4,227$24.3864,859
Clinical Coordinator$57,665$4,805$27.7274,962
Clinical Trial Manager$93,644$7,804$45.0260,284
Research Project Coordinator$48,683$4,057$23.4167,800
Research Administrator$52,667$4,389$25.3299,798

Top companies hiring directors of institutional research now:

  1. Boston College jobs (3)
  2. UMass Lowell jobs (4)
  3. New Jersey Institute of Technology jobs (4)
  4. Stevens Institute of Technology jobs (5)
  5. The City University of New York jobs (4)

Which companies pay directors of institutional research the most?

Director of institutional research salaries at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Kern Community College District are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average director of institutional research salary at companies like California Polytechnic State University and Boston College are highly competitive.

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$92,000$90,200$88,400$86,600$84,800$83,000
MaleFemale

Director of institutional research salary trends

The average director of institutional research salary has risen by $14,939 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average director of institutional research earned $73,996 annually, but today, they earn $88,935 a year. That works out to a 15% change in pay for directors of institutional research over the last decade.

Compare director of institutional research salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average director of institutional research salary over time

Compare director of institutional research salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Director of institutional research salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$88,900$42.76+6.4%
2024$83,200$40.02+4.1%
2023$79,900$38.39+3.9%
2022$76,700$36.88-0.7%
2021$77,300$37.15-0.3%

Recently added director of institutional research salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
University of ArkansasDirector of Institutional ResearchBono, AR06/30/2025$55,000
Passaic County Community CollegeDirector of Institutional Research and EffectivenessPaterson, NJ06/16/2025$90,000
Another SourceDirector of Institutional Research-Stanford UniversityPalo Alto, CA06/15/2025$198,098
Minnesota State University, MoorheadDirector of Analytics & Institutional ResearchMoorhead, MN06/09/2025$72,753
State of New YorkDirector-Institute for Basic ResearchNew York, NY06/05/2025$202,931
Flathead Valley Community CollegeExecutive Director of Institutional ResearchKalispell, MT05/28/2025$90,000
East Carolina UniversityAssistant Director of Institutional ResearchGreenville, SC05/24/2025$62,115
Western New England UniversityDirector of Institutional ResearchSpringfield, MA05/24/2025$92,663
University of MississippiAssociate Director Institutional ResearchOxford, MS05/21/2025$91,395
Hampshire CollegeAssistant Director of Institutional ResearchAmherst, MA05/18/2025$71,000

Director of institutional research salary FAQs

Search for director of institutional research jobs

Browse executive management jobs