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Research leader salary
Average research leader salary
$107,345
Understanding the Research Leader Salary
The average salary for a Research Leader stands at $107,345 annually, translating to approximately $52 per hour. This position is critical in guiding research efforts across multiple sectors, including healthcare, technology, and finance. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specific industry.
For instance, Research Leaders in high-demand states often see increased compensation, with some of the top-paying locations including California, Massachusetts, and New York. Additionally, those with extensive experience or specialized skills can command higher salaries, making it essential for professionals in this field to continuously enhance their qualifications.
Moreover, opportunities for advancement in this role are abundant, as organizations increasingly prioritize data-driven decision-making. Research Leaders not only contribute to innovative projects but also lead teams in discovering actionable insights, ultimately driving organizational success. The demand for skilled Research Leaders continues to rise, making this an appealing career path for those passionate about research and leadership.
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Where can a Research Leader earn more?
Research leader salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level research leader | $67,400 | $32.38 |
| Mid-level research leader | $114,000 | $54.69 |
| Senior-level research leader | $186,000 | $89.56 |
Research leader salary estimates from across the web
Average research leader salary by state
The average research leader salary in New Jersey, New York, and Delaware are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average research leader salary states are Missouri, Tennessee, and Hawaii.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for research leaders
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $138,062 | $66.38 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $117,296 | $56.39 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $129,239 | $62.13 |
| 4 | Washington | $123,785 | $59.51 |
| 5 | Delaware | $127,506 | $61.30 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $117,070 | $56.28 |
| 7 | Maine | $120,768 | $58.06 |
| 8 | California | $121,123 | $58.23 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $107,632 | $51.75 |
| 10 | Vermont | $108,098 | $51.97 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $106,388 | $51.15 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $116,655 | $56.08 |
| 13 | New York | $131,907 | $63.42 |
| 14 | Oregon | $97,014 | $46.64 |
| 15 | Alaska | $94,832 | $45.59 |
| 16 | Virginia | $104,899 | $50.43 |
| 17 | Michigan | $94,689 | $45.52 |
| 18 | Indiana | $96,742 | $46.51 |
| 19 | Nevada | $101,103 | $48.61 |
| 20 | Texas | $96,841 | $46.56 |
| 21 | Ohio | $94,584 | $45.47 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $91,404 | $43.94 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $92,807 | $44.62 |
| 24 | New Mexico | $84,047 | $40.41 |
| 25 | South Dakota | $81,161 | $39.02 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $81,110 | $39.00 |
| 27 | Arizona | $89,622 | $43.09 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $88,164 | $42.39 |
| 29 | Georgia | $89,737 | $43.14 |
| 30 | Montana | $80,996 | $38.94 |
| 31 | Maryland | $96,370 | $46.33 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $82,591 | $39.71 |
| 33 | Iowa | $85,182 | $40.95 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $84,871 | $40.80 |
| 35 | Illinois | $84,244 | $40.50 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $75,682 | $36.39 |
| 37 | Idaho | $84,763 | $40.75 |
| 38 | Utah | $80,483 | $38.69 |
| 39 | Colorado | $77,876 | $37.44 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $83,777 | $40.28 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $79,957 | $38.44 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $70,972 | $34.12 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $67,670 | $32.53 |
| 44 | Missouri | $69,870 | $33.59 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $77,365 | $37.19 |
| 46 | Alabama | $77,404 | $37.21 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $74,564 | $35.85 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $67,500 | $32.45 |
| 49 | Florida | $63,905 | $30.72 |
| 50 | Kansas | $66,754 | $32.09 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $65,294 | $31.39 |
Highest paying cities for research leaders
The highest-paying cities for research leaders are Jersey City, NJ, San Francisco, CA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jersey City, NJ | $141,357 | $67.96 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $134,134 | $64.49 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $133,729 | $64.29 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $130,590 | $62.78 |
| 5 | Wilmington, DE | $129,335 | $62.18 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $126,705 | $60.92 |
| 7 | Hartford, CT | $118,158 | $56.81 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $109,045 | $52.43 |
| 9 | Arlington, VA | $108,142 | $51.99 |
| 10 | Boston, MA | $106,890 | $51.39 |
| 11 | Mentor, OH | $99,101 | $47.64 |
| 12 | Arlington, TX | $97,486 | $46.87 |
| 13 | Indianapolis, IN | $96,104 | $46.20 |
| 14 | Portland, OR | $96,025 | $46.17 |
| 15 | Midland, MI | $95,059 | $45.70 |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $91,401 | $43.94 |
| 17 | Minneapolis, MN | $91,368 | $43.93 |
| 18 | Phoenix, AZ | $90,589 | $43.55 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $89,719 | $43.13 |
| 20 | Chicago, IL | $85,147 | $40.94 |
Research leader salary details
A research leader's salary ranges from $64,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $178,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a research leader's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $178,000 | $14,833 | $86 |
| 75th Percentile | $140,000 | $11,667 | $67 |
| Average | $107,345 | $8,945 | $52 |
| 25th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
| 10th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
Highest paying research leader jobs
The highest paying types of research leaders are research director, leader, and research consultant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Coordinator | $48,326 | $4,027 | $23.23 | 91,281 |
| Marketing Internship | $30,260 | $2,522 | $14.55 | 122,135 |
| Marketing Research Analyst | $54,431 | $4,536 | $26.17 | 133,309 |
| Marketing Research Internship | $34,196 | $2,850 | $16.44 | 160,264 |
| Market Research Analyst | $51,687 | $4,307 | $24.85 | 71,240 |
| Market Research Internship | $35,920 | $2,993 | $17.27 | 99,512 |
Top companies hiring research leaders now:
Which companies pay research leaders the most?
Research leader salaries at Meta and McKinsey & Company Inc are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average research leader salary at companies like Airbnb and Google are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | $214,424 | $103.09 |
| 2 | McKinsey & Company Inc | $210,715 | $101.31 |
| 3 | Airbnb | $205,856 | $98.97 |
| 4 | $204,149 | $98.15 | |
| 5 | Apple | $202,628 | $97.42 |
| 6 | Asana | $191,410 | $92.02 |
| 7 | eBay | $189,641 | $91.17 |
| 8 | Citi | $188,151 | $90.46 |
| 9 | Chevron | $182,874 | $87.92 |
| 10 | DoorDash | $176,067 | $84.65 |
| 11 | $175,799 | $84.52 | |
| 12 | First Republic Bank | $171,573 | $82.49 |
| 13 | Unity Technologies | $170,120 | $81.79 |
| 14 | BNY Mellon | $169,160 | $81.33 |
| 15 | Amd | $168,397 | $80.96 |
| 16 | Castlight Health | $166,497 | $80.05 |
| 17 | Koch Industries | $166,131 | $79.87 |
| 18 | Goldman Sachs | $164,048 | $78.87 |
| 19 | Amazon | $163,822 | $78.76 |
| 20 | Microsoft | $163,732 | $78.72 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Research Leader salary by industry
The average research leader salary varies across industries:
- The average research leader salary in the pharmaceutical industry is $131,194, the highest of any industry.
- The average research leader salary in the finance industry is $121,708.
- Research leaders in the education industry earn an average salary of $74,256, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for research leaders
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pharmaceutical | $131,194 | $63.07 |
| 2 | Technology | $121,708 | $58.51 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $111,711 | $53.71 |
| 4 | Professional | $98,947 | $47.57 |
| 5 | Finance | $97,448 | $46.85 |
| 6 | Education | $74,256 | $35.70 |
High paying research leader jobs
Research leader salary trends
The average research leader salary has risen by $9,069 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average research leader earned $98,276 annually, but today, they earn $107,345 a year. That works out to a 5% change in pay for research leaders over the last decade.
Compare research leader salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average research leader salary over time
Compare research leader salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Research leader salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $107,000 | $51.61 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $104,000 | $50.02 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $103,000 | $49.50 | -0.2% |
| 2022 | $103,000 | $49.59 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $102,000 | $49.06 | +0.7% |
Recently added research leader salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motorola Solutions | Lead Researcher | Chicago, IL | 06/27/2025 | $67,246 |
| Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | Clinical Research Study Lead-Precision Medicine | Philadelphia, PA | 06/26/2025 | $67,500 |
| Gensler | Editorial Lead-Research | Ione, WA | 06/25/2025 | $125,000 |
| Onyx Bio | Clinical Research Lead | San Jose, CA | 06/25/2025 | $120,000 |
| Biogen Idec | Research Portfolio Management Lead | Cambridge, MA | 06/24/2025 | $159,000 |
| Driscoll's | Applied Research Lead, Us/Baja | Watsonville, CA | 06/24/2025 | $126,000 |
| Philips | R&D Transducers Leader | Reedsville, WI | 06/19/2025 | $218,025 |
| Pitchbook Data | Lead Analyst, Healthcare Research | San Francisco, CA | 06/14/2025 | $170,000 |
| Scale Ai Inc. | ML Research Operations Lead | New York, NY | 06/12/2025 | $140,000 |
| Pitchbook Data | Lead Analyst, Healthcare Research | Seattle, WA | 06/09/2025 | $170,000 |
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