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Research director salary
Average research director salary
$108,875
Research Director Salary Overview
The average salary for a Research Director in the United States stands at $108,875 per year. This figure reflects the compensation for professionals responsible for guiding research initiatives and managing teams. Salaries can differ notably based on factors such as location and industry. For example, Research Directors in California and New York often earn higher salaries compared to those in other states.
Factors Influencing Salary
Experience level plays a crucial role in determining salary. Entry-level Research Directors may start around $80,000, while those with over 10 years of experience can command salaries exceeding $130,000. Additionally, sectors such as healthcare and technology tend to offer more lucrative positions.
Job Opportunities
As a Research Director, numerous opportunities exist across various industries. Consider exploring job listings that match your skills and aspirations. Understanding the salary landscape can help you negotiate effectively and align your career trajectory with your financial goals.
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Where can a Research Director earn more?
Research director salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level research director | $68,300 | $32.84 |
| Mid-level research director | $115,000 | $55.47 |
| Senior-level research director | $189,000 | $90.84 |
Research director salary estimates from across the web
Average research director salary by state
The average research director salary in Washington, California, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average research director salary states are North Dakota, Indiana, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for research directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $122,811 | $59.04 |
| 2 | Oregon | $117,006 | $56.25 |
| 3 | New York | $118,855 | $57.14 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $112,214 | $53.95 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $117,653 | $56.56 |
| 6 | Delaware | $114,901 | $55.24 |
| 7 | Texas | $115,154 | $55.36 |
| 8 | Colorado | $107,811 | $51.83 |
| 9 | Washington | $129,483 | $62.25 |
| 10 | California | $126,855 | $60.99 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $102,556 | $49.31 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $112,821 | $54.24 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $98,098 | $47.16 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $100,893 | $48.51 |
| 15 | Maine | $104,115 | $50.06 |
| 16 | Michigan | $95,939 | $46.12 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $106,136 | $51.03 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $100,167 | $48.16 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $90,008 | $43.27 |
| 20 | Iowa | $99,592 | $47.88 |
| 21 | Arizona | $96,061 | $46.18 |
| 22 | Illinois | $94,898 | $45.62 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $93,779 | $45.09 |
| 24 | Alabama | $87,974 | $42.30 |
| 25 | Virginia | $96,133 | $46.22 |
| 26 | Idaho | $96,485 | $46.39 |
| 27 | Maryland | $93,355 | $44.88 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $85,451 | $41.08 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $82,146 | $39.49 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $88,677 | $42.63 |
| 31 | Nevada | $94,958 | $45.65 |
| 32 | Georgia | $94,056 | $45.22 |
| 33 | Ohio | $87,064 | $41.86 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $87,190 | $41.92 |
| 35 | Vermont | $82,221 | $39.53 |
| 36 | Utah | $83,579 | $40.18 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $75,833 | $36.46 |
| 38 | Alaska | $95,375 | $45.85 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $76,560 | $36.81 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $74,798 | $35.96 |
| 41 | Florida | $82,427 | $39.63 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $86,209 | $41.45 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $78,134 | $37.56 |
| 44 | Missouri | $76,201 | $36.64 |
| 45 | Kansas | $75,249 | $36.18 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $68,370 | $32.87 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $72,614 | $34.91 |
| 48 | Montana | $71,170 | $34.22 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $63,648 | $30.60 |
| 50 | Indiana | $72,297 | $34.76 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $69,643 | $33.48 |
Highest paying cities for research directors
The highest-paying cities for research directors are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Rahway, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $136,510 | $65.63 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $132,453 | $63.68 |
| 3 | Rahway, NJ | $123,232 | $59.25 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $119,390 | $57.40 |
| 5 | Hartford, CT | $118,083 | $56.77 |
| 6 | San Antonio, TX | $117,291 | $56.39 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $116,582 | $56.05 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $112,963 | $54.31 |
| 9 | Providence, RI | $112,269 | $53.98 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $107,339 | $51.61 |
| 11 | Boston, MA | $106,134 | $51.03 |
| 12 | Durham, NC | $102,495 | $49.28 |
| 13 | Minneapolis, MN | $100,962 | $48.54 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $98,747 | $47.47 |
| 15 | Arlington, VA | $96,913 | $46.59 |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | $96,312 | $46.30 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $95,640 | $45.98 |
| 18 | Columbus, GA | $94,134 | $45.26 |
| 19 | Baltimore, MD | $93,570 | $44.99 |
| 20 | Columbus, OH | $86,863 | $41.76 |
Research director salary details
A research director's salary ranges from $68,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $171,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a research director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $171,000 | $14,250 | $82 |
| 75th Percentile | $138,000 | $11,500 | $66 |
| Average | $108,875 | $9,073 | $52 |
| 25th Percentile | $85,000 | $7,083 | $41 |
| 10th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
Highest paying research director jobs
The highest paying types of research directors are director, research leader, and product specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Department Internship | $31,989 | $2,666 | $15.38 | 143,703 |
| Marketing Internship | $30,260 | $2,522 | $14.55 | 122,135 |
| Marketing Consultant | $70,593 | $5,883 | $33.94 | 88,935 |
| Marketing Analyst | $59,380 | $4,948 | $28.55 | 95,650 |
| Sales And Marketing Internship | $42,269 | $3,522 | $20.32 | 142,820 |
| Marketing Representative | $47,377 | $3,948 | $22.78 | 217,886 |
Top companies hiring research directors now:
Which companies pay research directors the most?
Research director salaries at Meta and Google are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average research director salary at companies like ViacomCBS and Allegheny Health Network are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | $208,062 | $100.03 |
| 2 | $193,746 | $93.15 | |
| 3 | ViacomCBS | $173,529 | $83.43 |
| 4 | Allegheny Health Network | $172,441 | $82.90 |
| 5 | InsideTrack | $170,707 | $82.07 |
| 6 | Cambridge Associates | $169,850 | $81.66 |
| 7 | Integral Ad Science | $165,012 | $79.33 |
| 8 | Duolingo | $160,629 | $77.23 |
| 9 | TBWA Worldwide | $159,488 | $76.68 |
| 10 | Gevo | $159,152 | $76.52 |
| 11 | Leo Burnett | $156,842 | $75.40 |
| 12 | Abt Associates | $155,056 | $74.55 |
| 13 | Pine River Capital Management | $153,842 | $73.96 |
| 14 | BGC Partners | $152,833 | $73.48 |
| 15 | Nike | $152,222 | $73.18 |
| 16 | AQR Capital Management | $150,301 | $72.26 |
| 17 | Cedars-Sinai | $150,294 | $72.26 |
| 18 | DTCC | $149,296 | $71.78 |
| 19 | Aberdeen Strategy & Research | $148,812 | $71.54 |
| 20 | Wpp Us Holdings Inc | $146,145 | $70.26 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Research Director salary by industry
The average research director salary varies across industries:
- The average research director salary in the technology industry is $123,823, the highest of any industry.
- The average research director salary in the finance industry is $116,761.
- Research directors in the professional industry earn an average salary of $98,617, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for research directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $123,823 | $59.53 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $116,761 | $56.14 |
| 3 | Health Care | $109,507 | $52.65 |
| 4 | Media | $107,259 | $51.57 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $98,902 | $47.55 |
| 6 | Professional | $98,617 | $47.41 |
High paying research director jobs
Research director salary trends
The average research director salary has risen by $9,199 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average research director earned $99,676 annually, but today, they earn $108,875 a year. That works out to a 5% change in pay for research directors over the last decade.
Compare research director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average research director salary over time
Compare research director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Research director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $109,000 | $52.34 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $106,000 | $50.74 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $104,000 | $50.20 | -0.2% |
| 2022 | $105,000 | $50.29 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $103,000 | $49.76 | +0.7% |
Recently added research director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Get It-Finance | Director of Research-Tampa, FL-Remote | WFH | Tampa, FL | 06/29/2025 | $40,000 |
| The University of Chicago | Research Director | Kentucky | 06/28/2025 | $110,000 |
| Pacific Lifecorp | Director Fundamental Research | Newport Beach, CA | 06/28/2025 | $198,810 |
| Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP | Director of Research Services | Chicago, IL | 06/27/2025 | $185,000 |
| Public Citizen | Research Director | Washington, DC | 06/27/2025 | $105,789 |
| Usc | Research Director, Tavakoli Center for Real Estate | Parksdale, CA | 06/27/2025 | $172,398 |
| Underwriters Laboratories | Director, Research | Washington, DC | 06/25/2025 | $158,735 |
| EAB | Director, Research Advisory Services | Washington, DC | 06/25/2025 | $76,500 |
| University of Southern California | Research Director, Tavakoli Center for Real Estate | Los Angeles, CA | 06/25/2025 | $172,398 |
| Nu National University | Director, Research | Ione, CA | 06/24/2025 | $79,930 |
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