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Research and development director education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a research and development director. Research and development directors usually study chemistry, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering. 62% of research and development directors hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,050 real research and development director resumes to see exactly what research and development director education sections show.
The most common colleges for research and development directors are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
There are also many online research and development director courses to help get the education required to be a research and development director.
What education do you need to become a research and development director?
What degree do you need to be a research and development director?
- Bachelor's, 62%
- Master's, 19%
- Doctorate, 12%
- Associate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a research and development director?
Most common colleges for research and development directors
| Research and development director common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 8.17% |
| Purdue University | 7.78% |
| University of Florida | 6.61% |
| Texas A&M University | 5.84% |
| University of California - Davis | 5.84% |
Best majors for research and development directors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chemistry | 14.2% |
| 2 | Mechanical Engineering | 11.3% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 10.0% |
| 4 | Business | 9.7% |
| 5 | Biology | 7.5% |
Best colleges for research and development directors
The best colleges for research and development directors are Columbia University in the City of New York, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
A research and development director with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for research and development directors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become research and development directors.
1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
2. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
5. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
6. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
8. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
9. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
20 best online courses for research and development directors
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1. Strategic Product Development
This course discusses how companies create new products that customers want while achieving their financial objectives. Learners begin by defining the product strategies necessary to ensure a company’s long-term growth. Learners then explore the different product development processes used by high-tech businesses today, such as Stage-Gate and Lean/Agile techniques. Learners conclude by illustrating the tools to build the high-performance teams that take the development process from concept...
2. Drug Development Product Management
Pharmaceutical and biotech companies are spending years and millions of dollars developing drugs or promising new biologics, all with the hopes of saving or enhancing patients’ lives. This specialization will provide you with a 30,000 feet view of the entire process of drug discovery and development. In the first course you will begin with learning how scientists go from selecting a drug discovery target to filing an Initial New Drug application. In the second course you will learn the...
3. ISO 13485:2016 - Design and Development of Medical Devices
Design and Development of Medical Devices in the perspective of ISO 13485:2016 and Medical Devices Industry...
4. 50 Personal Development And Personal Productivity Skills
Personal transformation to be a top-1% performer! Personal development, business productivity, and personal productivity...
5. New Product Development For Small Businesses and Start-Ups
In this 1 hr 40 mins long project-based course, you will learn about the process of developing a new product for start-up companies, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). You will learn about idea generation and the evaluation processes in product development by using an idea generation model and online resources like Google Trends and Amazon. You will use methods to evaluate your product concept through market segmentation, growth potential, and the competition to your product. You...
6. Mastering Software Development in R
R is a programming language and a free software environment for statistical computing and graphics, widely used by data analysts, data scientists and statisticians. This Specialization covers R software development for building data science tools. As the field of data science evolves, it has become clear that software development skills are essential for producing and scaling useful data science results and products.\n\nThis Specialization will give you rigorous training in the R language,...
7. Product Development & Systems Engineering
The complete Product Development & Systems Engineering course! Earn 25 contact hours AND prepare to take the INCOSE Exam...
8. Improving software development productivity
Improving software development productivity. Practical techniques...
9. Mechanical design and Product development process
Learn the basic ideas and concepts behind developing mechanical products related to mechanical engineering...
10. Internal audit on Medical Device QMS - ISO 13485:2016
Successfully conduct an internal audit based on requirements of ISO 13485:2016 for Medical Device Development and QMS...
11. Business Mind - Mastering Business Development
Master in Practice the Product, Sales and Marketing Perspective of Business Development...
12. Android Development: Android App Development From Scratch
Learn java, android, android studio, android development and android app development with Android 11, become a developer...
13. Medical Devices Quality Management System - ISO 13485:2016
Awareness and Application for the requirements of ISO 13485:2016 for Medical Device Development and QMS...
14. ISO 13485 - IQOQPQ - Process Validation for Medical Devices
Installation Qualification (IQ), Operational Qualification (OQ) & Performance Qualification (PQ) Medical Devices...
15. Medical Device Process Validation. ISO 13485. IQ OQ PQ.
Validate a process to gain approval to sell medical devices in the EU, U.S. & Internationally. Compliance to ISO 13485...
16. ISO 13485 Demystified - Medical Devices' QMS 360° Insights
Deep dive into the world of ISO 13485 international standard for medical devices' QMS, basic concepts & requirements...
17. Software Development Lifecycle & Methodologies
Learn how software development works straight from the source: a CTO of a fast-growing startup...
18. The Full Stack Web Development
Learn Full Stack Web Development Building Over 40+ Projects...
19. Android App Development with Kotlin Beginner to Advanced
Kotlin Android App Development with Kotlin Android A-Z, Firebase Android, Android Studio, Android Development projects...
20. Manufacturing Guide for Mechanical Product Development
Learn how everyday physical products are manufactured with no prior experience in engineering...
Top 10 most affordable universities for research and development directors
The most affordable schools for research and development directors are United States Merchant Marine Academy, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for research and development directors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for research and development directors.
1. United States Merchant Marine Academy
Kings Point, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$1,080
Cost of attendance
6,646
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
5. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
7. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for research and development directors
The hardest universities for research and development directors to get into are Columbia University in the City of New York, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for research and development directors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for research and development directors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for research and development directors
The easiest schools for research and development directors to get into are Texas A&M; University - Kingsville, the university of texas permian basin, and the university of texas at el paso.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a research and development director without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for research and development directors.
1. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
2. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
3. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
4. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
5. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
6. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
7. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)
Lemont Furnace, PA • Private
Admissions rate
80%
SAT average
1,067
8. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
9. Capitol Technology University
Laurel, MD • Private
Admissions rate
69%
SAT average
1,070
10. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois
DuBois, PA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,079
Average research and development director salary by education level
| Research and development director education level | Research and development director salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $151,856 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $140,606 |
| Doctorate Degree | $165,347 |
Research and development director education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025