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Laboratory director salary
Average laboratory director salary
$92,971
Average Laboratory Director Salary
The average salary for a Laboratory Director in the United States is currently $92,971 per year. This figure represents a broad spectrum of experience levels and responsibilities. The salary typically ranges based on various factors, including geographical location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
How Much Does a Laboratory Director Make?
Laboratory Directors manage laboratory operations, ensuring quality control and compliance with health regulations. Their salaries can vary significantly based on the state. For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher compensation due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
Where Can a Laboratory Director Earn More?
Industries such as pharmaceuticals and biotechnology tend to pay higher salaries compared to academic or clinical labs. Those in senior management roles or specialized sectors may also see substantial salary increases. Tracking salary trends and industry shifts can provide valuable insights for those looking to advance their careers in laboratory management.
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Where can a Laboratory Director earn more?
Laboratory director salary estimates from across the web
Average laboratory director salary by state
The highest-paying states for laboratory directors are Delaware, New York, and California. The lowest average laboratory director salary states are Florida, Mississippi, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for laboratory directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $103,728 | $49.87 |
| 2 | New York | $109,420 | $52.61 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $104,916 | $50.44 |
| 4 | California | $106,713 | $51.30 |
| 5 | Delaware | $111,054 | $53.39 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $95,426 | $45.88 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $98,457 | $47.34 |
| 8 | Washington | $99,043 | $47.62 |
| 9 | Nevada | $102,568 | $49.31 |
| 10 | Arizona | $96,279 | $46.29 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $101,914 | $49.00 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $106,180 | $51.05 |
| 13 | Idaho | $97,076 | $46.67 |
| 14 | Vermont | $91,098 | $43.80 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $92,029 | $44.24 |
| 16 | Alaska | $94,785 | $45.57 |
| 17 | Texas | $93,444 | $44.92 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $86,660 | $41.66 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $80,699 | $38.80 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $82,065 | $39.45 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $85,387 | $41.05 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $102,492 | $49.27 |
| 23 | Maryland | $92,993 | $44.71 |
| 24 | Oregon | $90,826 | $43.67 |
| 25 | Ohio | $85,772 | $41.24 |
| 26 | Virginia | $94,043 | $45.21 |
| 27 | Colorado | $87,992 | $42.30 |
| 28 | Michigan | $85,683 | $41.19 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $74,846 | $35.98 |
| 30 | Alabama | $74,469 | $35.80 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $97,271 | $46.76 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $72,596 | $34.90 |
| 33 | Utah | $83,441 | $40.12 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $71,842 | $34.54 |
| 35 | Georgia | $83,975 | $40.37 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $82,080 | $39.46 |
| 37 | Montana | $73,689 | $35.43 |
| 38 | Missouri | $80,065 | $38.49 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $63,930 | $30.74 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $73,294 | $35.24 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $68,049 | $32.72 |
| 42 | Florida | $64,975 | $31.24 |
| 43 | Illinois | $74,785 | $35.95 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $72,708 | $34.96 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $67,431 | $32.42 |
| 46 | Indiana | $69,855 | $33.58 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | $65,179 | $31.34 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $58,051 | $27.91 |
| 49 | Iowa | $59,420 | $28.57 |
| 50 | Kansas | $61,112 | $29.38 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $58,990 | $28.36 |
Highest paying cities for laboratory directors
The highest-paying cities for laboratory directors are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $116,633 | $56.07 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $110,579 | $53.16 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $103,063 | $49.55 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $100,280 | $48.21 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $98,733 | $47.47 |
| 6 | San Antonio, TX | $96,262 | $46.28 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $93,139 | $44.78 |
| 8 | Eugene, OR | $92,651 | $44.54 |
| 9 | Boulder, CO | $87,861 | $42.24 |
| 10 | Lawton, OK | $84,708 | $40.73 |
| 11 | Atlanta, GA | $84,094 | $40.43 |
| 12 | Kansas City, MO | $79,430 | $38.19 |
| 13 | Birmingham, AL | $74,124 | $35.64 |
| 14 | Minneapolis, MN | $73,309 | $35.24 |
| 15 | Oak Ridge, TN | $69,494 | $33.41 |
| 16 | Little Rock, AR | $67,914 | $32.65 |
| 17 | Madison, WI | $63,869 | $30.71 |
| 18 | Madison, MS | $63,566 | $30.56 |
| 19 | Daytona Beach, FL | $63,550 | $30.55 |
| 20 | Manhattan, KS | $60,905 | $29.28 |
Laboratory director salary details
A laboratory director's salary ranges from $55,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $156,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a laboratory director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $156,000 | $13,000 | $75 |
| 75th Percentile | $122,000 | $10,167 | $59 |
| Average | $92,971 | $7,748 | $45 |
| 25th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| 10th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
Highest paying laboratory director jobs
The highest paying types of laboratory directors are medical director, director, network operations, and director of clinical operations.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Manager | $84,066 | $7,005 | $40.42 | 81,863 |
| Nurse Manager | $83,684 | $6,974 | $40.23 | 380,264 |
| Pharmacist Manager | $93,996 | $7,833 | $45.19 | 61,178 |
| Practice Manager | $107,374 | $8,948 | $51.62 | 38,196 |
| Patient Care Manager | $65,369 | $5,447 | $31.43 | 123,652 |
| Director Of Clinical Operations | $130,421 | $10,868 | $62.70 | 151,054 |
Which companies pay laboratory directors the most?
Laboratory director salaries at Reed Smith and Meta are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average laboratory director salary at companies like Google and Methodist Hospital Of Henderson, Kentucky are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reed Smith | $174,168 | $83.73 |
| 2 | Meta | $166,781 | $80.18 |
| 3 | $163,434 | $78.57 | |
| 4 | Methodist Hospital Of Henderson, Kentucky | $140,324 | $67.46 |
| 5 | St Vincent Medical Group Inc | $138,323 | $66.50 |
| 6 | Applied Materials | $135,119 | $64.96 |
| 7 | CHI Mercy Health | $131,471 | $63.21 |
| 8 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $128,582 | $61.82 |
| 9 | Supermicro | $127,831 | $61.46 |
| 10 | Cleveland Clinic | $123,895 | $59.56 |
| 11 | Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research | $123,526 | $59.39 |
| 12 | Park Nicollet Medical Center Inc | $123,480 | $59.37 |
| 13 | Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital | $122,414 | $58.85 |
| 14 | Seattle Cancer Care Alliance | $120,950 | $58.15 |
| 15 | Dignity Health | $118,825 | $57.13 |
| 16 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $117,561 | $56.52 |
| 17 | Verathon | $116,713 | $56.11 |
| 18 | Illumina | $116,677 | $56.09 |
| 19 | Omnicom Media Group | $115,744 | $55.65 |
| 20 | Brookhaven National Laboratory | $114,951 | $55.26 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Laboratory Director salary by industry
The average laboratory director salary varies across industries:
- The average laboratory director salary in the media industry is $111,230, the highest of any industry.
- The average laboratory director salary in the finance industry is $85,040.
- Laboratory directors in the education industry earn an average salary of $65,541, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for laboratory directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Media | $111,230 | $53.48 |
| 2 | Professional | $85,040 | $40.88 |
| 3 | Health Care | $81,382 | $39.13 |
| 4 | Hospitality | $76,618 | $36.84 |
| 5 | Education | $65,541 | $31.51 |
High paying laboratory director jobs
Laboratory director salary trends
The average laboratory director salary has risen by $15,941 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average laboratory director earned $77,030 annually, but today, they earn $92,971 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for laboratory directors over the last decade.
Compare laboratory director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average laboratory director salary over time
Compare laboratory director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Laboratory director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $93,000 | $44.70 | +3.2% |
| 2025 | $90,000 | $43.28 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | $88,900 | $42.75 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $87,700 | $42.16 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $86,100 | $41.38 | +2.1% |
Recently added laboratory director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDC Foundation | Laboratory Director (Clia) | Kane, IL | 06/29/2025 | $106,437 |
| The Principia | Stem Lab Director | Saint Louis, MO | 06/29/2025 | $51,000 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Lab Director/Instructor-Remote | WFH | Butte-Silver Bow, MT | 06/29/2025 | $102,000 |
| Lighthouse Lab Services | Laboratory Sales Director | Pasadena, CA | 06/28/2025 | $90,000 |
| Merieux Nutrisciences Corporation | Laboratory Director-Chemistry | Crete, IL | 06/26/2025 | $145,000 |
| HCA Healthcare | Director of Cellular Therapy Laboratory | Las Vegas, NV | 06/20/2025 | $106,766 |
| Dignity Health | Director Laboratory | Santa Cruz, CA | 06/20/2025 | $142,313 |
| HCA Healthcare | Hospital Laboratory Director | San Jose, CA | 06/18/2025 | $139,256 |
| Kelly Science, Engineering, Technology & Telecom | Lab Director | Irvine, CA | 06/18/2025 | $150,000 |
| Dow Jones | Director, Talent Lab | New York, NY | 06/14/2025 | $195,000 |
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