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Job outlook for research and development directors in the United States
Research and development director job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected research and development director job growth rate is 2% from 2018-2028.
About 4,400 new jobs for research and development directors are projected over the next decade.
Research and development director salaries have increased 11% for research and development directors in the last 5 years.
There are over 14,885 research and development directors currently employed in the United States.
There are 102,901 active research and development director job openings in the US.
The average research and development director salary is $137,944.
Are research and development director jobs in demand?
Research and development director job and salary trends over time
Research and development director jobs over time
Research and development director job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,885 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 15,578 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 15,445 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 14,966 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 14,303 | 0.00% |
Average research and development director salary over time
Research and development director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $137,944 | $66.32 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $133,608 | $64.23 | +2.9% |
| 2023 | $129,854 | $62.43 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $127,049 | $61.08 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $124,291 | $59.76 | +1.5% |
Research and development director jobs by state
Most common states for research and development directors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 349 | 40% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 379 | 28% |
| 3 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 479 | 26% |
| 4 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,357 | 24% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 232 | 22% |
| 6 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 1,062 | 21% |
| 7 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 400 | 21% |
| 8 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 984 | 20% |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 795 | 20% |
| 10 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 272 | 20% |
| 11 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 152 | 20% |
| 12 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 140 | 20% |
| 13 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,988 | 19% |
| 14 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 1,307 | 19% |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,355 | 18% |
| 16 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,809 | 18% |
| 17 | Vermont | 623,657 | 114 | 18% |
| 18 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 799 | 17% |
| 19 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 500 | 17% |
| 20 | Alaska | 739,795 | 127 | 17% |
Most common cities for research and development directors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Chicago | 2 | 7% | $118,090 |
| 2 | Amherst | 1 | 3% | $145,808 |
| 3 | Annapolis | 1 | 3% | $112,282 |
| 4 | Cambridge | 2 | 2% | $146,417 |
| 5 | Hartford | 2 | 2% | $149,827 |
| 6 | Bethesda | 1 | 2% | $111,906 |
| 7 | Boston | 3 | 0% | $146,434 |
| 8 | Chicago | 3 | 0% | $117,111 |
| 9 | Phoenix | 2 | 0% | $131,875 |
| 10 | Washington | 2 | 0% | $112,259 |
| 11 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $120,870 |
| 12 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $122,837 |
| 13 | Charlotte | 1 | 0% | $104,678 |
| 14 | Corpus Christi | 1 | 0% | $116,281 |
| 15 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $113,308 |
Research And Development Director job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of research and development director experts
Pennsylvania State University - Abington
University of Maryland - College Park
Chapman University
What Research And Development Director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Yi Yang PhD: In the next 3-5 years, I believe management skills will become increasingly important. Engineers who can bridge the gap between technical complexity and business strategy, driving innovation and growth in their organizations will be very valuable.
Donald Yeung
Professor and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Education, Affiliate Professor, Computer Science DepartmentUniversity of Maryland - College Park
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
What hard/technical skills are most important for Research And Development Directors?
Donald Yeung: In terms of hard technical skills, I believe the courses students take along with their GPA in these courses is one level of demonstration. (As I mentioned above, employers know about our program probably down to specific courses, and so if someone gets an A+ in some notoriously challenging course, that's probably known and appreciated). Some employers will give technical interviews and require students to solve problems on their feet. But I think most employers will judge this based on a student's transcript.
What soft skills should all Research And Development Directors possess?
Tom Springer Ph.D.: -Good communication skills
-Ability to exercise critical thinking and innovative problem solving
-Able to work under supervision and mentoring
-Works well in a team-oriented environment