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Medical director salary
Average medical director salary
$230,317
Understanding Medical Director Salaries
The average salary for a Medical Director in the United States stands at approximately $230,317 per year or $111 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as experience, location, and the specific healthcare sector. For instance, Medical Directors in specialized fields or high-demand regions often command higher salaries.
In addition to the base salary, many Medical Directors receive benefits, including bonuses, health insurance, and retirement plans. States like California and New York offer some of the highest salaries for this role, often exceeding the national average. These lucrative opportunities highlight the importance of location and specialization in salary negotiations.
To gain a competitive edge, aspiring Medical Directors should focus on enhancing their qualifications and experience. This may include pursuing advanced degrees or certifications, such as a Master of Public Health (MPH) or board certification in a medical specialty. Additional skills in leadership, communication, and strategic planning can also boost earning potential.
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Where can a Medical Director earn more?
Medical director salary estimates from across the web
Average medical director salary by state
The average medical director salary in Alaska, Wyoming, and South Dakota are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average medical director salary states are Georgia, New Jersey, and Iowa.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for medical directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | $221,920 | $106.69 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $216,321 | $104.00 |
| 3 | Maine | $222,589 | $107.01 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $224,264 | $107.82 |
| 5 | Nevada | $212,898 | $102.35 |
| 6 | Alaska | $247,942 | $119.20 |
| 7 | South Dakota | $222,981 | $107.20 |
| 8 | Mississippi | $206,164 | $99.12 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $218,897 | $105.24 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $213,949 | $102.86 |
| 11 | Kansas | $204,806 | $98.46 |
| 12 | Nebraska | $219,929 | $105.74 |
| 13 | Arkansas | $202,084 | $97.16 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $204,537 | $98.34 |
| 15 | Illinois | $207,402 | $99.71 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $210,438 | $101.17 |
| 17 | Oregon | $216,335 | $104.01 |
| 18 | Indiana | $207,350 | $99.69 |
| 19 | Michigan | $209,355 | $100.65 |
| 20 | Washington | $219,738 | $105.64 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $203,199 | $97.69 |
| 22 | Alabama | $200,353 | $96.32 |
| 23 | California | $206,896 | $99.47 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $207,112 | $99.57 |
| 25 | Missouri | $203,230 | $97.71 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $203,402 | $97.79 |
| 27 | Massachusetts | $206,058 | $99.07 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $205,167 | $98.64 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $199,932 | $96.12 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $201,785 | $97.01 |
| 31 | Delaware | $203,641 | $97.90 |
| 32 | Montana | $205,614 | $98.85 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $203,169 | $97.68 |
| 34 | Virginia | $201,962 | $97.10 |
| 35 | Vermont | $205,043 | $98.58 |
| 36 | Arizona | $203,717 | $97.94 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $193,448 | $93.00 |
| 38 | Ohio | $200,096 | $96.20 |
| 39 | Iowa | $193,874 | $93.21 |
| 40 | Colorado | $203,775 | $97.97 |
| 41 | New York | $200,607 | $96.45 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $197,941 | $95.16 |
| 43 | Georgia | $196,901 | $94.66 |
| 44 | Connecticut | $200,820 | $96.55 |
| 45 | Utah | $198,546 | $95.45 |
| 46 | Texas | $197,966 | $95.18 |
| 47 | New Jersey | $194,966 | $93.73 |
| 48 | Maryland | $198,263 | $95.32 |
| 49 | District of Columbia | $180,022 | $86.55 |
| 50 | Florida | $178,271 | $85.71 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $167,817 | $80.68 |
Highest paying cities for medical directors
The highest-paying cities for medical directors are Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, and Portland, ME.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $260,967 | $125.46 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $256,702 | $123.41 |
| 3 | Portland, ME | $256,194 | $123.17 |
| 4 | Minneapolis, MN | $253,343 | $121.80 |
| 5 | Las Vegas, NV | $248,501 | $119.47 |
| 6 | Sacramento, CA | $243,518 | $117.08 |
| 7 | Indianapolis, IN | $239,181 | $114.99 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $239,011 | $114.91 |
| 9 | Madison, WI | $237,944 | $114.40 |
| 10 | Kansas City, KS | $236,874 | $113.88 |
| 11 | Providence, RI | $236,038 | $113.48 |
| 12 | Kansas City, MO | $235,225 | $113.09 |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $234,818 | $112.89 |
| 14 | Albuquerque, NM | $234,366 | $112.68 |
| 15 | Memphis, TN | $231,570 | $111.33 |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | $231,392 | $111.25 |
| 17 | Little Rock, AR | $231,149 | $111.13 |
| 18 | Pittsburgh, PA | $229,198 | $110.19 |
| 19 | Oklahoma City, OK | $227,438 | $109.35 |
| 20 | Waltham, MA | $226,946 | $109.11 |
Medical Directors are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Medical director salary details
A medical director's salary ranges from $143,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $369,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a medical director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $369,000 | $30,750 | $177 |
| 75th Percentile | $295,000 | $24,583 | $142 |
| Average | $230,317 | $19,193 | $111 |
| 25th Percentile | $179,000 | $14,917 | $86 |
| 10th Percentile | $143,000 | $11,917 | $69 |
Highest paying medical director jobs
The highest paying types of medical directors are medical consultant, director of professional services, and director, network operations.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director Of Professional Services | $140,429 | $11,702 | $67.51 | 125,635 |
| Director Of Clinical Operations | $130,421 | $10,868 | $62.70 | 151,054 |
| Director, Network Operations | $140,236 | $11,686 | $67.42 | 103,623 |
| Director Of Health Services | $80,298 | $6,691 | $38.60 | 137,115 |
| Medical Consultant | $194,384 | $16,199 | $93.45 | 77,013 |
| Laboratory Director | $92,971 | $7,748 | $44.70 | 59,500 |
Top companies hiring medical directors now:
Which companies pay medical directors the most?
Medical director salaries at UnitedHealth Group and Abbott are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average medical director salary at companies like Snelling and PeaceHealth are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UnitedHealth Group | $298,950 | $143.73 |
| 2 | Abbott | $285,416 | $137.22 |
| 3 | Snelling | $282,851 | $135.99 |
| 4 | PeaceHealth | $282,717 | $135.92 |
| 5 | CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center | $281,937 | $135.55 |
| 6 | Boston Public Health Commission | $281,704 | $135.43 |
| 7 | Santiam Memorial Hospital | $280,871 | $135.03 |
| 8 | Pacific Medical Centers | $280,558 | $134.88 |
| 9 | Cytokinetics | $279,537 | $134.39 |
| 10 | Quest Diagnostics | $279,129 | $134.20 |
| 11 | Pikeville Medical Center | $278,811 | $134.04 |
| 12 | INTEGRIS Health | $278,166 | $133.73 |
| 13 | Novartis | $277,860 | $133.59 |
| 14 | Community Health Systems | $277,452 | $133.39 |
| 15 | Biogen | $277,385 | $133.36 |
| 16 | Genentech | $277,286 | $133.31 |
| 17 | State of Connecticut | $276,721 | $133.04 |
| 18 | New England Cancer Specialists | $275,975 | $132.68 |
| 19 | UHS Binghamton General Hospital | $275,617 | $132.51 |
| 20 | AbbVie | $274,300 | $131.88 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Medical Director salary by industry
The average medical director salary varies across industries:
- The average medical director salary in the insurance industry is $242,668, the highest of any industry.
- The average medical director salary in the finance industry is $213,020.
- Medical directors in the health care industry earn an average salary of $190,270, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for medical directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Insurance | $242,668 | $116.67 |
| 2 | Pharmaceutical | $213,020 | $102.41 |
| 3 | Government | $190,935 | $91.80 |
| 4 | Health Care | $190,270 | $91.48 |
High paying medical director jobs
Medical director salary trends
The average medical director salary has risen by $39,490 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average medical director earned $190,827 annually, but today, they earn $230,317 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for medical directors over the last decade.
Compare medical director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average medical director salary over time
Compare medical director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Medical director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $230,000 | $110.73 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $223,000 | $107.23 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $220,000 | $105.90 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $217,000 | $104.43 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $213,000 | $102.51 | +2.1% |
Recently added medical director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exelixis | Executive Medical Director, Clinical Development (Oncology) | Alameda, CA | 06/30/2025 | $341,000 |
| VCA Animal Hospitals | Medical Director | White Plains, NY | 06/30/2025 | $130,000 |
| Optum | Psychiatrist Medical Director | Durham, NC | 06/30/2025 | $214,000 |
| OSF Healthcare | Managing Medical Director of Adult Primary Care | Peoria, IL | 06/30/2025 | $299,374 |
| Valor Healthcare | Clinic Medical Director-VA Employees Welcome | Escondido, CA | 06/30/2025 | $280,000 |
| Valor Healthcare | Clinic Medical Director | Nome, ND | 06/30/2025 | $300,000 |
| Virginia Mason Franciscan Health | Interim Market Medical Director-Ob/Gyn | Tacoma, WA | 06/30/2025 | $333,920 |
| Concertocare | Market Medical Director | New York, NY | 06/30/2025 | $270,000 |
| Coherus Biosciences | Senior/Executive Medical Director, Medical Affairs Strategy, Oncology | Redwood City, CA | 06/29/2025 | $260,000 |
| Lifelong Medical Care | Regional Medical Director-Contra Costa | Berkeley, CA | 06/29/2025 | $203,000 |
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