Research director demographics and statistics in the US
Research director demographics research summary. Zippia estimates research director demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our research director estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about research directors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 14,042 research directors currently employed in the United States.
- 41.0% of all research directors are women, while 59.0% are men.
- The average research director age is 36 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of research directors is White (65.3%), followed by Asian (12.5%), Hispanic or Latino (12.0%) and Black or African American (5.0%).
- Research directors are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The technology industry is the highest-paying for research directors.
- 10% of all research directors are LGBT.
On this page
Research director demographics by:
Research director gender statistics
41.0% of research directors are women and 59.0% of research directors are men.
- Male, 59.0%
- Female, 41.0%
Research director gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 59.0% |
| Female | 41.0% |
Research director gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$106,253
Female income
$100,978
Research director gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in research director positions over time. Currently, 41.0% of research directors are female.
Research director gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.82% | 33.18% |
| 2011 | 64.58% | 35.42% |
| 2012 | 64.81% | 35.19% |
| 2013 | 61.56% | 38.44% |
| 2014 | 61.60% | 38.40% |
| 2015 | 63.64% | 36.36% |
| 2016 | 62.93% | 37.07% |
| 2017 | 62.90% | 37.10% |
| 2018 | 61.99% | 38.01% |
| 2019 | 60.69% | 39.31% |
| 2020 | 58.26% | 41.74% |
| 2021 | 58.97% | 41.03% |
Research director related jobs gender ratio
We compared research directors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, timber buyer and chief estimator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding Coordinator | 9% | 91% |
| Conference Planning Manager | 9% | 91% |
| Human Resources Administrative Assistant | 9% | 91% |
| Research Director | 59% | 41% |
| Electronic Security Specialist | 94% | 6% |
| Chief Estimator | 95% | 5% |
| Timber Buyer | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Research director demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among research directors is White, which makes up 65.3% of all research directors. Comparatively, 12.5% of research directors are Asian and 12.0% of research directors are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 65.3%
- Asian, 12.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.0%
- Black or African American, 5.0%
- Unknown, 5.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Research director race
| Research director race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.3% |
| Asian | 12.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.0% |
| Black or African American | 5.0% |
| Unknown | 5.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Research director race and ethnicity over time
See how research director racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Research director race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.27% | 5.22% | 10.29% | 8.44% |
| 2011 | 72.57% | 5.22% | 10.72% | 9.40% |
| 2012 | 72.63% | 5.42% | 10.01% | 9.63% |
| 2013 | 72.39% | 5.64% | 9.46% | 9.65% |
| 2014 | 72.71% | 5.07% | 10.63% | 9.09% |
| 2015 | 71.67% | 4.65% | 10.92% | 9.79% |
| 2016 | 69.90% | 5.82% | 11.15% | 10.70% |
| 2017 | 69.87% | 5.67% | 11.22% | 10.31% |
| 2018 | 69.18% | 5.33% | 11.23% | 10.90% |
| 2019 | 69.51% | 5.23% | 11.44% | 10.95% |
| 2020 | 67.60% | 4.68% | 11.52% | 11.82% |
| 2021 | 65.33% | 5.03% | 12.54% | 12.00% |
Research director wage gap by race
According to our data, asian research directors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american research directors have the lowest average salary at $97,668.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $103,450 |
| White | $107,806 |
| Black or African American | $97,668 |
| Asian | $118,395 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $105,014 |
Average research director age
See how the average age of research directors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Research director age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 34 | 29.5 |
| White | 37 | 34 |
| Black or African American | 33.5 | 31 |
| Asian | 35 | 35 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 31 | 33 |
Research director age breakdown
The average age of research directors is 30-40 years years old, representing 35% of the research director population.
Research director age breakdown
| Research Director Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 35% |
| 30-40 years | 35% |
| 20-30 years | 30% |
Research director educational attainment
- Bachelor's, 63%
- Master's, 20%
- Doctorate, 12%
- Associate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Research directors by degree level
| Research director degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 63% |
| Master's | 20% |
| Doctorate | 12% |
| Associate | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Research director jobs you might like
Research director wage gap by degree level
According to the data, research directors with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $132,976 annually. With a Master's degree, research directors earn a median annual income of $131,453 compared to $111,752 for research directors with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $131,453 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $111,752 |
| Doctorate Degree | $132,976 |
Research director employment statistics
Most research directors work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where research directors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where research directors work.
Research director jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 22% |
Research director jobs by company type
Employees with the research director job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most research directors prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Research director jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 17% |
| Public | 22% |
| Private | 55% |
| Government | 7% |
Research director jobs by industry
The most common industries for research directors are professional, education and media.
Research director industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 14% |
| Media | 13% |
| Education | 13% |
| Health Care | 8% |
| Non Profits | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Technology | 7% |
| Finance | 6% |
| Government | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Research director turnover and employment statistics
Research director unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for research directors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Research director unemployment rate by year
| Year | Research director unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.74% |
| 2011 | 5.95% |
| 2012 | 6.43% |
| 2013 | 4.82% |
| 2014 | 4.69% |
| 2015 | 3.53% |
| 2016 | 4.06% |
| 2017 | 3.47% |
| 2018 | 3.02% |
| 2019 | 3.21% |
| 2020 | 5.42% |
| 2021 | 5.17% |
Average research director tenure
The average research director stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,473 research directors resumes in Zippia's database.
Research director tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 15% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 19% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Research director LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of research directors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Estimator/Project Coordinator | 4.41% | 31,971 |
| Logistics Internship | 8.65% | 61,001 |
| Shop Steward | 8.93% | 13,320 |
| Research Director | 10.00% | - |
| Principal Consultant | 11.05% | 143,753 |
| Compliance Review Officer | 11.64% | 72,192 |
| Student Caller | 19.25% | 10,143 |
Similar research director jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Estimator/Project Coordinator | 4.41% | 31,971 |
| Logistics Internship | 8.65% | 61,001 |
| Shop Steward | 8.93% | 13,320 |
| Principal Consultant | 11.05% | 143,753 |
| Compliance Review Officer | 11.64% | 72,192 |
| Student Caller | 19.25% | 10,143 |
Foreign languages spoken by research directors
The most common foreign language among research directors is Spanish at 33.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 16.5% and German is the third-most popular at 7.6%.
- Spanish, 33.9%
- French, 16.5%
- German, 7.6%
- Chinese, 6.8%
- Japanese, 6.4%
- Other, 28.8%
Research director languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 33.9% |
| French | 16.5% |
| German | 7.6% |
| Chinese | 6.8% |
| Japanese | 6.4% |
| Other | 28.8% |
