DURECT salaries

Q: Is the pay good at DURECT?

Yes, the pay is good at DURECT. Compared to the industry average of $69,816 per year, the average annual salary at DURECT is $76,438, which is 9.49% higher.

Q: What is the starting pay at DURECT?

The starting pay at DURECT is $41,000 per year, or $19.71 per hour.

Q: How much does DURECT pay an hour?

DURECT pays $36.75 an hour, on average.

Zippia score 4.1

DURECT salary estimate

$76,438yearly

$36.75 hourly rate

Entry-level salary

$41,000 yearly salary

Updated December 15, 2025

DURECT Salary Overview

DURECT Corporation, a leader in biotechnology, offers a competitive salary structure that varies significantly across departments and locations. The overall average annual salary for employees at DURECT is $76,438. Those in the engineering department enjoy the highest compensation, averaging $94,918, reflecting the critical skills required in this field. Sales professionals also benefit, with an average salary of $84,915, indicative of the importance of driving revenue in the company.

In contrast, salaries in administrative roles lag behind, averaging around $47,091, while plant and manufacturing positions offer approximately $62,115. This variation underscores the impact of job function and market demands on compensation.

DURECT competes with notable firms like Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Pacira BioSciences, and Nektar Therapeutics, with average salaries at these companies being higher than DURECT’s average. Merrimack Pharmaceuticals leads with an average salary of $90,170, followed by Pacira BioSciences at $88,724. This information is crucial for job seekers considering roles within DURECT, as it provides context for evaluating their potential earnings.

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Average DURECT salary by state

DURECT pays the highest salaries in California due to higher costs of living and competition in the state.

Rank	State	Average DURECT salary	Hourly rate
1	California	$91,806	$44.14
2	District of Columbia	$79,786	$38.36
3	Alabama	$64,763	$31.14

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DURECT salaries by department

Salaries at DURECT vary depending on the department you work in. DURECT salaries in the engineering department are the highest with an average salary of $94,918. Employees in the sales department at DURECT receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $84,915 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at DURECT include the administrative and the plant/manufacturing organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $47,091 and $62,115, respectively.

Average DURECT salary by department

Rank	Department	Average DURECT salary	Hourly rate
1	Engineering	$94,918	$45.63
2	Sales	$84,915	$40.82
3	Research & Development	$79,083	$38.02
4	Healthcare	$72,723	$34.96
5	Plant/Manufacturing	$62,116	$29.86
6	Administrative	$47,092	$22.64

DURECT competitors’ average salaries

Average salaries at DURECT competitors, like Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Pacira BioSciences, and Nektar Therapeutics, vary. Merrimack Pharmaceuticals employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $90,170. The average salary at Pacira BioSciences is $88,724 per year, and the average salary at Nektar Therapeutics is $83,561 per year.

Highest paying DURECT competitors

Rank	Company name	Zippia score	Average salary
1	Merrimack Pharmaceuticals	4.6	$90,170
2	Pacira BioSciences	4.7	$88,724
3	Nektar Therapeutics	4.8	$83,561
4	Portola Pharmaceuticals	4.6	$83,155
5	Nostrum Laboratories	4.0	$77,111
6	AMRI	4.7	$76,714
7	Johnson & Johnson	4.7	$76,686
8	AAIPharma Services Corp	4.1	$75,187
9	Cambrex	4.4	$73,346
10	Zogenix	4.4	$71,837
11	Alcami	4.1	$70,250
12	Aradigm	4.6	$68,338
13	Pharmaceutics International	4.5	$67,963
14	PLx Pharma	3.3	$65,724
15	Virpax Pharmaceuticals	3.3	$64,982
16	Hi-Tech Pharmacal	4.5	$64,715
17	Recro Pharma Inc.	4.5	$55,587
18	Delpor	3.5	$51,903
19	Bellerophon Therapeutics	4.2	$45,248
20	SpineThera	4.2	$45,112

Frequently asked questions about DURECT salaries

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How much does DURECT pay an hour?

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Updated December 15, 2025

Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of DURECT, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about DURECT. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at DURECT. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by DURECT. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of DURECT and its employees or that of Zippia.

DURECT may also be known as or be related to DURECT, DURECT CORP, DURECT Corp., DURECT Corporation, Durect, Durect Corp. and Durect Corporation.