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Research and development director salary
Average research and development director salary
$137,944
Understanding the Salary of Research and Development Directors
The average salary for a Research and Development Director in the United States is approximately $137,944 per year, translating to around $66 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as experience level, industry, and geographic location. For example, those with extensive experience may command higher salaries, particularly in industries like technology and pharmaceuticals.
Regional Salary Variations
In terms of location, states such as California and New York typically offer higher compensation compared to others. For instance, research and development directors in California earn some of the highest salaries in the country, reflecting the demand and cost of living in these areas. Understanding these variances can help candidates make informed decisions about job opportunities.
Career Advancement Opportunities
As you progress in your career, gaining additional skills and certifications can open doors to higher-paying positions. Networking within industry circles and keeping abreast of trends in research and development can also enhance your career trajectory. Consider pursuing leadership roles or specialized positions to further increase your earning potential in this dynamic field.
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Where can a Research And Development Director earn more?
Research and development director salaries by experience level
Research and development director salary estimates from across the web
Average research and development director salary by state
The average research and development director salary in California, Connecticut, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average research and development director salary states are Kansas, Kentucky, and Iowa.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for research and development directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $156,514 | $75.25 |
| 2 | Arizona | $130,779 | $62.87 |
| 3 | Nevada | $148,576 | $71.43 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $128,200 | $61.63 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $128,820 | $61.93 |
| 6 | Maine | $127,301 | $61.20 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $148,747 | $71.51 |
| 8 | New York | $145,189 | $69.80 |
| 9 | Virginia | $147,558 | $70.94 |
| 10 | Missouri | $130,838 | $62.90 |
| 11 | Ohio | $129,442 | $62.23 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $144,955 | $69.69 |
| 13 | Louisiana | $121,829 | $58.57 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $145,808 | $70.10 |
| 15 | Montana | $123,541 | $59.39 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $124,652 | $59.93 |
| 17 | Oregon | $130,015 | $62.51 |
| 18 | Washington | $140,024 | $67.32 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $113,764 | $54.69 |
| 20 | Mississippi | $116,706 | $56.11 |
| 21 | Georgia | $120,807 | $58.08 |
| 22 | Alaska | $128,602 | $61.83 |
| 23 | Idaho | $126,047 | $60.60 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $111,172 | $53.45 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $111,951 | $53.82 |
| 26 | Indiana | $113,194 | $54.42 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $112,911 | $54.28 |
| 28 | Vermont | $117,521 | $56.50 |
| 29 | Alabama | $108,220 | $52.03 |
| 30 | Florida | $113,486 | $54.56 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $110,357 | $53.06 |
| 32 | Utah | $116,474 | $56.00 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $112,054 | $53.87 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $114,735 | $55.16 |
| 35 | Delaware | $120,156 | $57.77 |
| 36 | Texas | $116,663 | $56.09 |
| 37 | Illinois | $116,410 | $55.97 |
| 38 | Michigan | $108,648 | $52.23 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $106,689 | $51.29 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $106,574 | $51.24 |
| 41 | Colorado | $113,488 | $54.56 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $99,546 | $47.86 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $105,837 | $50.88 |
| 44 | Maryland | $112,117 | $53.90 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $106,134 | $51.03 |
| 46 | Kansas | $105,807 | $50.87 |
| 47 | District of Columbia | $112,198 | $53.94 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $84,193 | $40.48 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $101,364 | $48.73 |
| 50 | Iowa | $100,664 | $48.40 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $97,431 | $46.84 |
Highest paying cities for research and development directors
The highest-paying cities for research and development directors are San Francisco, CA, Danbury, CT, and Richmond, VA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $165,556 | $79.59 |
| 2 | Danbury, CT | $149,129 | $71.70 |
| 3 | Richmond, VA | $147,967 | $71.14 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $146,434 | $70.40 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $145,763 | $70.08 |
| 6 | Piscataway, NJ | $145,490 | $69.95 |
| 7 | Kansas City, MO | $130,120 | $62.56 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $128,735 | $61.89 |
| 9 | Tucson, AZ | $128,735 | $61.89 |
| 10 | Cincinnati, OH | $125,258 | $60.22 |
| 11 | Eden Prairie, MN | $124,426 | $59.82 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $120,870 | $58.11 |
| 13 | Austin, TX | $118,213 | $56.83 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $117,111 | $56.30 |
| 15 | Gainesville, FL | $113,887 | $54.75 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $113,308 | $54.48 |
| 17 | Washington, DC | $112,259 | $53.97 |
| 18 | Gaithersburg, MD | $111,903 | $53.80 |
| 19 | Cary, NC | $107,400 | $51.63 |
| 20 | Kansas City, KS | $105,774 | $50.85 |
Research and development director salary details
A research and development director's salary ranges from $94,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $201,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a research and development director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $201,000 | $16,750 | $97 |
| 75th Percentile | $168,000 | $14,000 | $81 |
| Average | $137,944 | $11,495 | $66 |
| 25th Percentile | $113,000 | $9,417 | $54 |
| 10th Percentile | $94,000 | $7,833 | $45 |
Highest paying research and development director jobs
The highest paying types of research and development directors are vice president product development, engineering director, and senior engineering manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Operations Manager | $122,682 | $10,223 | $58.98 | 125,798 |
| Engineering Program Manager | $122,604 | $10,217 | $58.94 | 148,543 |
| Engineering Supervisor | $97,535 | $8,128 | $46.89 | 57,046 |
| Manufacturing Engineering Manager | $112,535 | $9,378 | $54.10 | 83,671 |
| Engineering Manager | $139,328 | $11,611 | $66.98 | 67,124 |
| Process Engineering Manager | $124,640 | $10,387 | $59.92 | 87,396 |
Top companies hiring research and development directors now:
Which companies pay research and development directors the most?
Research and development director salaries at Western Digital and VMware are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average research and development director salary at companies like Exelixis and Ardent Mills are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Digital | $175,900 | $84.57 |
| 2 | VMware | $170,535 | $81.99 |
| 3 | Exelixis | $162,811 | $78.27 |
| 4 | Ardent Mills | $161,868 | $77.82 |
| 5 | Oshkosh | $160,538 | $77.18 |
| 6 | ON Semiconductor | $160,404 | $77.12 |
| 7 | BD | $159,644 | $76.75 |
| 8 | Benefit Cosmetics | $158,292 | $76.10 |
| 9 | Gopher Resource | $155,491 | $74.76 |
| 10 | Daiichi Sankyo | $155,275 | $74.65 |
| 11 | Koch Industries | $154,300 | $74.18 |
| 12 | WorldQuant | $151,623 | $72.90 |
| 13 | Gap Inc. | $151,447 | $72.81 |
| 14 | SolidWorks Russia | $151,413 | $72.79 |
| 15 | Marzetti | $149,547 | $71.90 |
| 16 | Cleveland Clinic | $149,136 | $71.70 |
| 17 | AbbVie | $148,738 | $71.51 |
| 18 | Edwards Lifesciences | $148,722 | $71.50 |
| 19 | Barrel O'Fun Snack Foods | $148,123 | $71.21 |
| 20 | EAB | $147,937 | $71.12 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Research And Development Director salary by industry
The average research and development director salary varies across industries:
- The average research and development director salary in the finance industry is $167,250, the highest of any industry.
- The average research and development director salary in the finance industry is $137,529.
- Research and development directors in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $128,916, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for research and development directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $167,250 | $80.41 |
| 2 | Technology | $137,529 | $66.12 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $136,962 | $65.85 |
| 4 | Health Care | $135,282 | $65.04 |
| 5 | Start-up | $129,597 | $62.31 |
| 6 | Hospitality | $128,916 | $61.98 |
High paying research and development director jobs
Research and development director salary trends
The average research and development director salary has risen by $25,222 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average research and development director earned $112,722 annually, but today, they earn $137,944 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for research and development directors over the last decade.
Compare research and development director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average research and development director salary over time
Compare research and development director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Research and development director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $138,000 | $66.32 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $134,000 | $64.23 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $130,000 | $62.43 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $127,000 | $61.08 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $124,000 | $59.76 | +1.4% |
Recently added research and development director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricewaterhousecoopers | Specialized Tax Services-Research & Development (R&D TAX) Director | New York, NY | 06/30/2025 | $140,900 |
| Silvus Technologies | Director of R&D Pursuits | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $170,000 |
| Zion Talent Partners | Director of Research Development | Tracy, CA | 06/27/2025 | $130,000 |
| Actalent | R&D Director | Salem, NH | 06/27/2025 | $140,000 |
| The Research Foundation for Suny | EBS Developer (Local or Remote Opportunity)-The Research Foundation for Suny | Albany, NY | 06/25/2025 | $90,907 |
| PwC | Specialized Tax Services-Research & Development (R&D TAX) Director | Minneapolis, MN | 06/19/2025 | $140,900 |
| PwC | Specialized Tax Services-Research & Development (R&D TAX) Director | Los Angeles, CA | 06/19/2025 | $140,900 |
| PwC | Specialized Tax Services-Research & Development (R&D TAX) Director | Stamford, CT | 06/19/2025 | $140,900 |
| PwC | Specialized Tax Services-Research & Development (R&D TAX) Director | Saint Louis, MO | 06/19/2025 | $140,900 |
| PwC | Specialized Tax Services-Research & Development (R&D TAX) Director | Florham Park, NJ | 06/19/2025 | $140,900 |
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