Best cities for a research manager
The best cities for research managers are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Riverside, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for research managers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for research managers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a research manager or considering a move, this list of the best cities for research managers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for research managers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a research manager. While the absolute best city for research managers is San Francisco, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for research managers in 2024.
If you're looking for a research manager job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for research managers in 2026
1. San Francisco, CA
Total research manager jobs: 40 Average annual salary: $123,095 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $208,000 Location quotient: 2.51 2. Seattle, WA
Total research manager jobs: 33 Average annual salary: $120,661 Lowest 10 percent warn: $72,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $202,000 Location quotient: 2.45 3. Riverside, CA
Total research manager jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $109,816 Lowest 10 percent warn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $183,000 Location quotient: 3.15 4. Boston, MA
Total research manager jobs: 64 Average annual salary: $91,354 Lowest 10 percent warn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $147,000 Location quotient: 5.61 5. Chandler, AZ
Total research manager jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $83,025 Lowest 10 percent warn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $135,000 Location quotient: 4.43 6. San Antonio, TX
Total research manager jobs: 17 Average annual salary: $78,404 Lowest 10 percent warn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location quotient: 3.63 7. Cleveland, OH
Total research manager jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $81,919 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000 Location quotient: 2.37 8. Philadelphia, PA
Total research manager jobs: 21 Average annual salary: $78,877 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location quotient: 2.72 9. Long Beach, CA
Total research manager jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $110,570 Lowest 10 percent warn: $66,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $184,000 Location quotient: 2.05 10. Columbus, OH
Total research manager jobs: 16 Average annual salary: $78,639 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location quotient: 2.25
Choose from 10+ customizable research manager resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use research manager resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your research manager resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for research managers
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Riverside, CA
- Boston, MA
- Chandler, AZ
- San Antonio, TX
- Cleveland, OH
- Philadelphia, PA
- Long Beach, CA
- Columbus, OH
- (40 research manager jobs)
- (33 research manager jobs)
- (3 research manager jobs)
- (64 research manager jobs)
- (7 research manager jobs)
- (17 research manager jobs)
- (6 research manager jobs)
- (21 research manager jobs)
- (2 research manager jobs)
- (16 research manager jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a research manager
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $123,095 | $72,000 | 870,887 | 40 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $120,661 | $72,000 | 704,352 | 33 |
| 3 | Riverside, CA | $109,816 | $65,000 | 324,722 | 3 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $91,354 | $56,000 | 673,184 | 64 |
| 5 | Chandler, AZ | $83,025 | $50,000 | 247,477 | 7 |
| 6 | San Antonio, TX | $78,404 | $47,000 | 1,492,510 | 17 |
| 7 | Cleveland, OH | $81,919 | $49,000 | 385,809 | 6 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $78,877 | $48,000 | 1,567,872 | 21 |
| 9 | Long Beach, CA | $110,570 | $66,000 | 470,130 | 2 |
| 10 | Columbus, OH | $78,639 | $48,000 | 860,090 | 16 |
| 11 | Fremont, CA | $122,484 | $72,000 | 233,136 | 5 |
| 12 | Gilbert, AZ | $82,934 | $50,000 | 237,133 | 1 |
| 13 | Sacramento, CA | $121,759 | $71,000 | 495,234 | 6 |
| 14 | Portland, OR | $87,371 | $51,000 | 639,863 | 14 |
| 15 | Arlington, TX | $77,436 | $47,000 | 392,772 | 3 |
| 16 | Los Angeles, CA | $111,836 | $66,000 | 3,976,322 | 24 |
| 17 | New York, NY | $90,706 | $55,000 | 8,537,673 | 216 |
| 18 | Austin, TX | $78,334 | $47,000 | 947,890 | 22 |
| 19 | Fresno, CA | $119,631 | $70,000 | 522,053 | 1 |
| 20 | San Jose, CA | $122,266 | $72,000 | 1,025,350 | 7 |
| 21 | Jersey City, NJ | $101,155 | $62,000 | 264,152 | 6 |
| 22 | Houston, TX | $77,649 | $47,000 | 2,303,482 | 37 |
| 23 | Minneapolis, MN | $79,144 | $49,000 | 413,651 | 18 |
| 24 | Irvine, CA | $109,512 | $65,000 | 266,122 | 4 |
| 25 | San Diego, CA | $104,554 | $63,000 | 1,406,630 | 12 |
| 26 | Newark, NJ | $101,110 | $62,000 | 281,764 | 2 |
| 27 | Oakland, CA | $122,856 | $72,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 28 | Chicago, IL | $76,238 | $47,000 | 2,704,958 | 46 |
| 29 | Mesa, AZ | $83,064 | $50,000 | 484,587 | 1 |
| 30 | Baltimore, MD | $82,844 | $50,000 | 614,664 | 19 |
| 31 | Stockton, CA | $121,826 | $71,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 32 | Phoenix, AZ | $83,778 | $51,000 | 1,615,017 | 9 |
| 33 | Cincinnati, OH | $75,406 | $46,000 | 298,800 | 5 |
| 34 | Washington, DC | $87,347 | $53,000 | 681,170 | 75 |
| 35 | Saint Paul, MN | $79,223 | $49,000 | 302,398 | 7 |
| 36 | Bakersfield, CA | $116,966 | $69,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 37 | Durham, NC | $67,415 | $41,000 | 263,016 | 9 |
| 38 | Anaheim, CA | $110,344 | $66,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 39 | Las Vegas, NV | $77,633 | $46,000 | 632,912 | 7 |
| 40 | Santa Ana, CA | $109,928 | $65,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 41 | Pittsburgh, PA | $75,500 | $45,000 | 303,625 | 8 |
| 42 | Reno, NV | $81,489 | $47,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 43 | Toledo, OH | $80,637 | $49,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 44 | Hialeah, FL | $64,343 | $40,000 | 236,387 | 3 |
| 45 | Indianapolis, IN | $69,517 | $42,000 | 855,164 | 16 |
| 46 | Glendale, AZ | $83,825 | $51,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 47 | Chula Vista, CA | $103,751 | $63,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 48 | Scottsdale, AZ | $83,715 | $51,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 49 | Atlanta, GA | $65,543 | $40,000 | 472,522 | 42 |
| 50 | Albuquerque, NM | $70,542 | $43,000 | 559,277 | 5 |
Highest paying cities for research managers
| Rank | City | Avg. research manager salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $123,095 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $120,661 |
| 3 | New Brunswick, NJ | $100,877 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $91,354 |
| 5 | Wilmington, DE | $91,083 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $90,706 |
| 7 | Beaverton, OR | $87,536 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $87,347 |
| 9 | Arlington, VA | $85,755 |
| 10 | Norwalk, CT | $84,106 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $83,778 |
| 12 | Baltimore, MD | $82,844 |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $81,919 |
| 14 | Minneapolis, MN | $79,144 |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $78,877 |
| 16 | San Antonio, TX | $78,404 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $76,238 |
| 18 | Denver, CO | $75,028 |
| 19 | Indianapolis, IN | $69,517 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $65,543 |
Research manager best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.
Search for research manager jobs
Updated January 8, 2025