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Director systems development salary
Average director systems development salary
$134,628
Average Salary Overview
A Director of Systems Development plays a pivotal role in overseeing the design and implementation of IT systems that meet organizational needs. As of October 2025, the average salary for this role is $134,628 per year, translating to approximately $65 per hour. Salaries can fluctuate based on experience, company size, and geographic location.
Salary Trends by State
Directors in states such as California and New York typically command higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for tech expertise. For example, the highest paying states for this position include:
- California
- New York
- Washington
- Massachusetts
Moreover, professionals with advanced skills in project management and systems architecture may see even greater compensation. As the tech industry continues to expand, opportunities for Directors of Systems Development are projected to grow, making this an appealing career path for those with the right qualifications.
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Where can a Director Systems Development earn more?
Director systems development salary estimates from across the web
Average director systems development salary by state
The average director systems development salary in Washington, California, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average director systems development salary states are Vermont, Indiana, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for directors systems development
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $166,967 | $80.27 |
| 2 | Alaska | $143,972 | $69.22 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $131,444 | $63.19 |
| 4 | Oregon | $147,105 | $70.72 |
| 5 | Nevada | $132,773 | $63.83 |
| 6 | Arizona | $129,302 | $62.16 |
| 7 | California | $164,685 | $79.18 |
| 8 | Texas | $134,666 | $64.74 |
| 9 | Michigan | $125,649 | $60.41 |
| 10 | Utah | $136,111 | $65.44 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $121,046 | $58.20 |
| 12 | Alabama | $123,135 | $59.20 |
| 13 | Georgia | $124,967 | $60.08 |
| 14 | Maryland | $144,942 | $69.68 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $121,278 | $58.31 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $119,564 | $57.48 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $126,418 | $60.78 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $121,797 | $58.56 |
| 19 | New York | $131,899 | $63.41 |
| 20 | Idaho | $127,821 | $61.45 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $129,050 | $62.04 |
| 22 | Ohio | $119,165 | $57.29 |
| 23 | Delaware | $127,814 | $61.45 |
| 24 | Massachusetts | $129,553 | $62.29 |
| 25 | Florida | $120,066 | $57.72 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $117,295 | $56.39 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $128,591 | $61.82 |
| 28 | Virginia | $128,462 | $61.76 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $120,967 | $58.16 |
| 30 | Montana | $114,997 | $55.29 |
| 31 | District of Columbia | $129,814 | $62.41 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $111,793 | $53.75 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $109,561 | $52.67 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $117,229 | $56.36 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $115,330 | $55.45 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $122,449 | $58.87 |
| 37 | Maine | $117,429 | $56.46 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $109,950 | $52.86 |
| 39 | Iowa | $110,828 | $53.28 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $107,307 | $51.59 |
| 41 | Kansas | $109,885 | $52.83 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $110,412 | $53.08 |
| 43 | Missouri | $112,607 | $54.14 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $112,024 | $53.86 |
| 45 | Colorado | $121,869 | $58.59 |
| 46 | Illinois | $118,564 | $57.00 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $106,594 | $51.25 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $104,039 | $50.02 |
| 49 | Indiana | $107,584 | $51.72 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $105,106 | $50.53 |
| 51 | Vermont | $108,616 | $52.22 |
Highest paying cities for directors systems development
The highest-paying cities for directors systems development are San Francisco, CA, Sparks, NV, and San Antonio, TX.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $175,988 | $84.61 |
| 2 | Sparks, NV | $140,189 | $67.40 |
| 3 | San Antonio, TX | $135,272 | $65.03 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $132,060 | $63.49 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $129,821 | $62.41 |
| 6 | Springfield, MA | $129,650 | $62.33 |
| 7 | Newark, NJ | $128,619 | $61.84 |
| 8 | Detroit, MI | $125,805 | $60.48 |
| 9 | Alpharetta, GA | $125,090 | $60.14 |
| 10 | Broomfield, CO | $121,980 | $58.64 |
| 11 | Coral Gables, FL | $119,920 | $57.65 |
| 12 | Franklin, TN | $117,333 | $56.41 |
| 13 | Charlotte, NC | $116,921 | $56.21 |
| 14 | West Des Moines, IA | $110,734 | $53.24 |
Director systems development salary details
A director systems development's salary ranges from $104,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $172,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a director systems development's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $172,000 | $14,333 | $83 |
| 75th Percentile | $153,000 | $12,750 | $74 |
| Average | $134,628 | $11,219 | $65 |
| 25th Percentile | $118,000 | $9,833 | $57 |
| 10th Percentile | $104,000 | $8,667 | $50 |
Highest paying director systems development jobs
The highest paying types of directors systems development are vice president of information technology, director of software development, and development vice president.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application Manager | $122,748 | $10,229 | $59.01 | 125,760 |
| Data Manager | $108,359 | $9,030 | $52.10 | 147,574 |
| Technical Manager | $116,619 | $9,718 | $56.07 | 116,732 |
| Vice President Of Information Technology | $160,600 | $13,383 | $77.21 | 112,564 |
| Information Technology Manager | $119,589 | $9,966 | $57.49 | 108,179 |
| Information Technology Director | $138,906 | $11,576 | $66.78 | 87,765 |
Top companies hiring directors systems development now:
Which companies pay directors systems development the most?
Director systems development salaries at Babson Capital Management and TSYS are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average director systems development salary at companies like Gate Gourmet Inc and Xerox are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Babson Capital Management | $146,897 | $70.62 |
| 2 | TSYS | $142,029 | $68.28 |
| 3 | Gate Gourmet Inc | $138,406 | $66.54 |
| 4 | Xerox | $136,852 | $65.79 |
| 5 | Dell | $135,798 | $65.29 |
| 6 | Allied Fitting Corp | $129,829 | $62.42 |
| 7 | Advanced Technologies Group | $128,891 | $61.97 |
| 8 | Prudential Bank | $126,890 | $61.00 |
| 9 | Sheridan | $126,835 | $60.98 |
| 10 | American Express | $126,826 | $60.97 |
| 11 | Global Payments | $126,706 | $60.92 |
| 12 | Opti Medical Systems | $123,905 | $59.57 |
| 13 | Blackhawk Network | $123,241 | $59.25 |
| 14 | Universal Health Services | $119,734 | $57.56 |
| 15 | The Aerospace Corporation | $119,072 | $57.25 |
| 16 | UMiami Health System | $118,505 | $56.97 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Director systems development salary trends
The average director systems development salary has risen by $29,517 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average director systems development earned $105,111 annually, but today, they earn $134,628 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for directors systems development over the last decade.
Compare director systems development salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average director systems development salary over time
Compare director systems development salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Director systems development salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $135,000 | $64.73 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $130,000 | $62.67 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | $127,000 | $61.03 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $124,000 | $59.62 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | $121,000 | $58.15 | +3.1% |
Recently added director systems development salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prudential Insurance | Director, System Development | Newark, NJ | 06/12/2025 | $199,900 |
| American Pharmacists Assoc | DIR, Custom System Development and Online SER | Washington, DC | 06/10/2025 | $124,000 |
| Metropolitan Transportation Commission | Assistant Deputy Director-Enterprise Asset Management System Development | New York, NY | 06/10/2025 | $107,570 |
| Exact Sciences | SR Director, Systems Development/Automation Engineering | San Diego, CA | 04/28/2025 | $224,000 |
| American Pharmacists Assoc | DIR, Custom System Development and Online SER | Washington, DC | 04/28/2025 | $124,000 |
| Metropolitan Transportation Commission | Assistant Deputy Director-Enterprise Asset Management System Development | New York, NY | 04/28/2025 | $107,570 |
| Exact Sciences | SR Director, Systems Development/Automation Engineering | San Diego, CA | 03/28/2025 | $224,000 |
| American Pharmacists Assoc | DIR, Custom System Development and Online SER | Washington, DC | 03/28/2025 | $124,000 |
| Corcept Therapeutics | Director, Development Systems (Ctms & Etmf) | Redwood City, CA | 03/26/2025 | $232,800 |
| Metropolitan Transportation Commission | Assistant Deputy Director-Enterprise Asset Management System Development | New York, NY | 03/26/2025 | $107,570 |
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