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The Project Development Director oversees the planning and execution of projects, ensuring they align with organizational goals. As of October 2025, the average salary for this position stands at $109,241 annually, translating to approximately $53 per hour. Salaries vary significantly by state and industry, with higher wages typically found in metropolitan areas.
In addition to base salary, compensation may include bonuses and benefits, enhancing the total earnings package. Experience plays a crucial role in salary determination, with seasoned professionals commanding higher pay. Project Development Directors in industries like technology and construction may see increased salaries due to the demand for specialized skills.
To maximize earning potential, aspiring Project Development Directors should consider gaining experience in project management, budgeting, and strategic planning. Networking within the industry and acquiring certifications can also provide an edge in salary negotiations.
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The highest-paying states for project development directors are Hawaii, California, and Nevada. The lowest average project development director salary states are Illinois, South Carolina, and Wyoming.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $119,446 | $57.43 |
| 2 | Ohio | $114,168 | $54.89 |
| 3 | Hawaii | $140,942 | $67.76 |
| 4 | Michigan | $114,421 | $55.01 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $115,913 | $55.73 |
| 6 | New Mexico | $106,323 | $51.12 |
| 7 | Arizona | $114,019 | $54.82 |
| 8 | California | $129,352 | $62.19 |
| 9 | Texas | $111,854 | $53.78 |
| 10 | Louisiana | $102,477 | $49.27 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $117,753 | $56.61 |
| 12 | Alaska | $109,778 | $52.78 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $118,147 | $56.80 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $109,782 | $52.78 |
| 15 | Iowa | $97,901 | $47.07 |
| 16 | Montana | $105,194 | $50.57 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $112,325 | $54.00 |
| 18 | Washington | $114,879 | $55.23 |
| 19 | New York | $112,270 | $53.98 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $98,532 | $47.37 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $96,404 | $46.35 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $107,708 | $51.78 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $97,184 | $46.72 |
| 24 | Delaware | $109,802 | $52.79 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $91,982 | $44.22 |
| 26 | Alabama | $91,198 | $43.85 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $102,298 | $49.18 |
| 28 | Oregon | $100,505 | $48.32 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $88,668 | $42.63 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $84,243 | $40.50 |
| 31 | Indiana | $90,371 | $43.45 |
| 32 | Virginia | $100,974 | $48.55 |
| 33 | Florida | $95,805 | $46.06 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $84,035 | $40.40 |
| 35 | Connecticut | $100,417 | $48.28 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $88,590 | $42.59 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $84,186 | $40.47 |
| 38 | Colorado | $98,925 | $47.56 |
| 39 | Idaho | $90,003 | $43.27 |
| 40 | Missouri | $85,611 | $41.16 |
| 41 | Maryland | $95,382 | $45.86 |
| 42 | Georgia | $83,217 | $40.01 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $78,181 | $37.59 |
| 44 | Maine | $87,734 | $42.18 |
| 45 | Kansas | $80,916 | $38.90 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $81,909 | $39.38 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $72,890 | $35.04 |
| 48 | Utah | $87,925 | $42.27 |
| 49 | Vermont | $87,855 | $42.24 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $81,600 | $39.23 |
| 51 | Illinois | $82,488 | $39.66 |
The highest-paying cities for project development directors are Urban Honolulu, HI, San Francisco, CA, and Las Vegas, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $141,205 | $67.89 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $136,223 | $65.49 |
| 3 | Las Vegas, NV | $120,902 | $58.13 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $118,559 | $57.00 |
| 5 | Providence, RI | $117,998 | $56.73 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $116,600 | $56.06 |
| 7 | Austin, TX | $114,094 | $54.85 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $112,615 | $54.14 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $107,801 | $51.83 |
| 10 | Arlington, VA | $101,913 | $49.00 |
| 11 | Charlotte, NC | $100,975 | $48.55 |
| 12 | Norwalk, CT | $100,286 | $48.21 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $99,692 | $47.93 |
| 14 | Racine, WI | $98,864 | $47.53 |
| 15 | Denver, CO | $98,608 | $47.41 |
| 16 | Fort Myers, FL | $98,304 | $47.26 |
| 17 | Saint Louis Park, MN | $96,363 | $46.33 |
| 18 | Portland, ME | $88,361 | $42.48 |
| 19 | Chesterfield, MO | $87,111 | $41.88 |
| 20 | Midvale, UT | $87,019 | $41.84 |
A project development director's salary ranges from $69,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $171,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $171,000 | $14,250 | $82 |
| 75th Percentile | $138,000 | $11,500 | $66 |
| Average | $109,241 | $9,103 | $53 |
| 25th Percentile | $86,000 | $7,167 | $41 |
| 10th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
The highest paying types of project development directors are development vice president, director of project management, and business development director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Manager | $96,084 | $8,007 | $46.19 | 197,556 |
| Call Center Manager | $37,614 | $3,134 | $18.08 | 123,791 |
| Consultant/Project Manager | $100,754 | $8,396 | $48.44 | 213,963 |
| Program/Project Manager | $101,850 | $8,488 | $48.97 | 243,017 |
| Director | $113,489 | $9,457 | $54.56 | 230,711 |
| Director Of Project Management | $126,958 | $10,580 | $61.04 | 200,498 |
Top companies hiring project development directors now:
Project development director salaries at Brixmor Property Group and NextEra Energy are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average project development director salary at companies like Prologis and Georgetown University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brixmor Property Group | $218,073 | $104.84 |
| 2 | Florida Power and Light | $136,950 | $65.84 |
| 3 | Prologis | $135,221 | $65.01 |
| 4 | Georgetown University | $130,673 | $62.82 |
| 5 | Sound Transit | $113,879 | $54.75 |
| 6 | Con Edison | $113,422 | $54.53 |
| 7 | Kiewit | $112,009 | $53.85 |
| 8 | Partners Advantage Insurance Services | $110,527 | $53.14 |
| 9 | Morehouse School of Medicine | $109,794 | $52.79 |
| 10 | Nexamp | $106,722 | $51.31 |
| 11 | Con Edison Development | $106,679 | $51.29 |
| 12 | Fulcrum BioEnergy | $106,670 | $51.28 |
| 13 | CleanCapital | $106,093 | $51.01 |
| 14 | Cushman & Wakefield | $105,947 | $50.94 |
| 15 | Savage | $105,875 | $50.90 |
| 16 | juwi Americas | $103,905 | $49.95 |
| 17 | dck worldwide | $103,595 | $49.81 |
| 18 | Black & Veatch | $98,083 | $47.16 |
| 19 | Anthology | $97,685 | $46.96 |
| 20 | Maryland Transportation Authority | $95,008 | $45.68 |
The average project development director salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospitality | $127,359 | $61.23 |
| 2 | Energy | $120,496 | $57.93 |
| 3 | Health Care | $115,708 | $55.63 |
| 4 | Technology | $115,318 | $55.44 |
| 5 | Construction | $109,558 | $52.67 |
| 6 | Non Profits | $85,690 | $41.20 |
The average project development director salary has risen by $13,448 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average project development director earned $95,793 annually, but today, they earn $109,241 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for project development directors over the last decade.
Compare project development director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare project development director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $109,000 | $52.52 | +4.1% |
| 2024 | $105,000 | $50.38 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $103,000 | $49.73 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $102,000 | $48.86 | +0.6% |
| 2021 | $101,000 | $48.57 | +0.1% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Express | Director, Project Controls, Property Development | New York, NY | 06/19/2025 | $130,000 |
| Kraus-Anderson Incorporated | Director, Project Planning & Development | Madison, WI | 06/16/2025 | $115,000 |
| Kainsurance | Director, Project Planning & Development | Madison, WI | 06/16/2025 | $115,000 |
| Cushman & Wakefield | Director, Project & Development Services | Cincinnati, OH | 05/28/2025 | $170,000 |
| American Express | Director, Project Controls, Property Development | New York, NY | 05/24/2025 | $130,000 |
| Trillium Health Resources | IT Project Development Director | Boone, NC | 05/24/2025 | $111,512 |
| Antora Energy | Director of Project Development | San Jose, CA | 05/03/2025 | $213,000 |
| Metropolitan Transportation Commission | Director Project Development | New York, NY | 04/28/2025 | $133,065 |
| 174 Power Global | Director, Project Development | Irvine, CA | 04/28/2025 | $190,000 |
| Antora Energy | Director of Project Development | San Jose, CA | 04/28/2025 | $213,000 |
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