Best cities for a research director
The best cities for research directors are Arlington, TX, San Antonio, TX, and Oakland, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for research directors vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for research directors in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a research director or considering a move, this list of the best cities for research directors to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for research directors. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a research director. While the absolute best city for research directors is Arlington, TX, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for research directors in 2024.
If you're looking for a research director job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for research directors in 2025
1. Arlington, TX
Total research director jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $114,730 Lowest 10 percent warn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $189,000 Location quotient: 8.98 2. San Antonio, TX
Total research director jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $117,291 Lowest 10 percent warn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $193,000 Location quotient: 3.67 3. Oakland, CA
Total research director jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $136,219 Lowest 10 percent warn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $229,000 Location quotient: 4.51 4. Austin, TX
Total research director jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $116,985 Lowest 10 percent warn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $193,000 Location quotient: 2.26 5. Houston, TX
Total research director jobs: 27 Average annual salary: $115,761 Lowest 10 percent warn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $191,000 Location quotient: 2.59 6. San Francisco, CA
Total research director jobs: 40 Average annual salary: $136,510 Lowest 10 percent warn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $229,000 Location quotient: 4.31 7. Bakersfield, CA
Total research director jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $130,764 Lowest 10 percent warn: $78,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $218,000 Location quotient: 7.15 8. El Paso, TX
Total research director jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $120,597 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $199,000 Location quotient: 1.89 9. Durham, NC
Total research director jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $102,495 Lowest 10 percent warn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $163,000 Location quotient: 5.96 10. New York, NY
Total research director jobs: 248 Average annual salary: $119,390 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $186,000 Location quotient: 8.16
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Best cities for research directors
- Arlington, TX
- San Antonio, TX
- Oakland, CA
- Austin, TX
- Houston, TX
- San Francisco, CA
- Bakersfield, CA
- El Paso, TX
- Durham, NC
- New York, NY
- (4 research director jobs)
- (10 research director jobs)
- (4 research director jobs)
- (14 research director jobs)
- (27 research director jobs)
- (40 research director jobs)
- (3 research director jobs)
- (1 research director jobs)
- (9 research director jobs)
- (248 research director jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a research director
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arlington, TX | $114,730 | $69,000 | 392,772 | 4 |
| 2 | San Antonio, TX | $117,291 | $71,000 | 1,492,510 | 10 |
| 3 | Oakland, CA | $136,219 | $80,000 | 420,005 | 4 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $116,985 | $70,000 | 947,890 | 14 |
| 5 | Houston, TX | $115,761 | $70,000 | 2,303,482 | 27 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $136,510 | $81,000 | 870,887 | 40 |
| 7 | Bakersfield, CA | $130,764 | $78,000 | 376,380 | 3 |
| 8 | El Paso, TX | $120,597 | $72,000 | 683,080 | 1 |
| 9 | Durham, NC | $102,495 | $64,000 | 263,016 | 9 |
| 10 | New York, NY | $119,390 | $76,000 | 8,537,673 | 248 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $98,747 | $63,000 | 1,567,872 | 34 |
| 12 | Los Angeles, CA | $126,734 | $76,000 | 3,976,322 | 43 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $116,582 | $68,000 | 639,863 | 11 |
| 14 | Seattle, WA | $132,453 | $77,000 | 704,352 | 12 |
| 15 | Riverside, CA | $124,872 | $74,000 | 324,722 | 3 |
| 16 | Newark, NJ | $123,286 | $78,000 | 281,764 | 2 |
| 17 | Sacramento, CA | $134,291 | $79,000 | 495,234 | 3 |
| 18 | Lubbock, TX | $117,071 | $70,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 19 | Henderson, NV | $94,244 | $56,000 | 292,969 | 4 |
| 20 | Laredo, TX | $116,171 | $70,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 21 | Irvine, CA | $124,710 | $74,000 | 266,122 | 8 |
| 22 | Corpus Christi, TX | $115,244 | $70,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 23 | Fort Worth, TX | $114,857 | $69,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 24 | Plano, TX | $113,727 | $69,000 | 286,057 | 2 |
| 25 | Irving, TX | $114,363 | $69,000 | 238,289 | - |
| 26 | Dallas, TX | $114,361 | $69,000 | 1,317,929 | 1 |
| 27 | Saint Paul, MN | $101,106 | $64,000 | 302,398 | 6 |
| 28 | Garland, TX | $113,913 | $69,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 29 | Boston, MA | $106,134 | $67,000 | 673,184 | 31 |
| 30 | San Diego, CA | $120,222 | $72,000 | 1,406,630 | 18 |
| 31 | San Jose, CA | $136,045 | $80,000 | 1,025,350 | 5 |
| 32 | Raleigh, NC | $102,467 | $64,000 | 458,880 | 3 |
| 33 | Pittsburgh, PA | $95,383 | $60,000 | 303,625 | 5 |
| 34 | Tucson, AZ | $94,608 | $57,000 | 530,706 | 6 |
| 35 | Fremont, CA | $136,032 | $80,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 36 | Stockton, CA | $134,779 | $79,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 37 | Minneapolis, MN | $100,962 | $64,000 | 413,651 | 7 |
| 38 | Fresno, CA | $133,479 | $79,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 39 | Jersey City, NJ | $123,368 | $78,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 40 | Nashville, TN | $88,806 | $54,000 | 660,388 | 5 |
| 41 | Washington, DC | $112,963 | $71,000 | 681,170 | 98 |
| 42 | Chandler, AZ | $95,772 | $57,000 | 247,477 | 3 |
| 43 | Brookhaven, NY | $120,112 | $76,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 44 | Islip, NY | $119,942 | $76,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 45 | Charlotte, NC | $97,506 | $60,000 | 842,051 | 6 |
| 46 | Oyster Bay, NY | $119,695 | $76,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 47 | Scottsdale, AZ | $96,197 | $57,000 | 246,645 | 2 |
| 48 | Hempstead, NY | $119,628 | $76,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 49 | Detroit, MI | $96,459 | $60,000 | 672,795 | 2 |
| 50 | Greensboro, NC | $101,359 | $63,000 | 287,027 | - |
Highest paying cities for research directors
| Rank | City | Avg. research director salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $136,510 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $132,453 |
| 3 | Rahway, NJ | $123,232 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $119,390 |
| 5 | Hartford, CT | $118,083 |
| 6 | San Antonio, TX | $117,291 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $116,582 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $112,963 |
| 9 | Providence, RI | $112,269 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $107,339 |
| 11 | Boston, MA | $106,134 |
| 12 | Durham, NC | $102,495 |
| 13 | Minneapolis, MN | $100,962 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $98,747 |
| 15 | Arlington, VA | $96,913 |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | $96,312 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $95,640 |
| 18 | Columbus, GA | $94,134 |
| 19 | Baltimore, MD | $93,570 |
| 20 | Columbus, OH | $86,863 |
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Updated January 8, 2025