Best cities for a research/program director
The best cities for research/program directors are New York, NY, Greensboro, NC, and Fremont, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for research/program directors vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for research/program directors in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a research/program director or considering a move, this list of the best cities for research/program directors to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for research/program directors. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a research/program director. While the absolute best city for research/program directors is New York, NY, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for research/program directors in 2024.
If you're looking for a research/program director job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for research/program directors in 2025
1. New York, NY
Total research/program director jobs: 22 Average annual salary: $97,326 Lowest 10 percent warn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000 Location quotient: 3.07 2. Greensboro, NC
Total research/program director jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $72,941 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Location quotient: 11.98 3. Fremont, CA
Total research/program director jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $102,352 Lowest 10 percent warn: $60,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $171,000 Location quotient: 4.54 4. Boston, MA
Total research/program director jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $92,944 Lowest 10 percent warn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $139,000 Location quotient: 3.83 5. Durham, NC
Total research/program director jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $73,044 Lowest 10 percent warn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Location quotient: 5.62 6. Brookhaven, NY
Total research/program director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $97,432 Lowest 10 percent warn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000 Location quotient: 0.00 7. Atlanta, GA
Total research/program director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $94,561 Lowest 10 percent warn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. Oyster Bay, NY
Total research/program director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $97,401 Lowest 10 percent warn: $65,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Reno, NV
Total research/program director jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $85,574 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. San Francisco, CA
Total research/program director jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $103,260 Lowest 10 percent warn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $173,000 Location quotient: 0.91
Best cities for research/program directors
- New York, NY
- Greensboro, NC
- Fremont, CA
- Boston, MA
- Durham, NC
- Brookhaven, NY
- Atlanta, GA
- Oyster Bay, NY
- Reno, NV
- San Francisco, CA
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Detailed list of the best cities for a research/program director
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $97,326 | $65,000 | 8,537,673 | 22 |
| 2 | Greensboro, NC | $72,941 | $48,000 | 287,027 | 2 |
| 3 | Fremont, CA | $102,352 | $60,000 | 233,136 | 2 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $92,944 | $62,000 | 673,184 | 6 |
| 5 | Durham, NC | $73,044 | $48,000 | 263,016 | 2 |
| 6 | Brookhaven, NY | $97,432 | $65,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | $94,561 | $62,000 | 472,522 | - |
| 8 | Oyster Bay, NY | $97,401 | $65,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 9 | Reno, NV | $85,574 | $51,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 10 | San Francisco, CA | $103,260 | $61,000 | 870,887 | 2 |
| 11 | Buffalo, NY | $97,588 | $64,000 | 256,902 | - |
| 12 | Islip, NY | $97,343 | $65,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 13 | Jersey City, NJ | $88,202 | $59,000 | 264,152 | 4 |
| 14 | Sacramento, CA | $102,777 | $61,000 | 495,234 | 1 |
| 15 | Hempstead, NY | $97,297 | $65,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 16 | Oakland, CA | $103,004 | $61,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 17 | Las Vegas, NV | $77,770 | $48,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 18 | North Las Vegas, NV | $77,664 | $48,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 19 | Henderson, NV | $77,164 | $48,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 20 | Seattle, WA | $92,099 | $56,000 | 704,352 | 1 |
| 21 | Stockton, CA | $102,200 | $60,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 22 | San Jose, CA | $101,873 | $60,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 23 | Fresno, CA | $98,580 | $59,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 24 | Detroit, MI | $70,856 | $46,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 25 | Philadelphia, PA | $69,269 | $46,000 | 1,567,872 | 3 |
| 26 | Winston-Salem, NC | $72,865 | $48,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 27 | Newark, NJ | $88,218 | $59,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 28 | Raleigh, NC | $72,863 | $48,000 | 458,880 | - |
| 29 | Bakersfield, CA | $94,139 | $57,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 30 | Los Angeles, CA | $89,217 | $55,000 | 3,976,322 | 3 |
| 31 | Cleveland, OH | $68,324 | $45,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 32 | El Paso, TX | $72,181 | $46,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 33 | Toledo, OH | $67,695 | $45,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 34 | Columbus, OH | $67,039 | $44,000 | 860,090 | - |
| 35 | Fort Worth, TX | $71,489 | $46,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 36 | Charlotte, NC | $71,663 | $47,000 | 842,051 | - |
| 37 | Arlington, TX | $71,425 | $46,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 38 | Pittsburgh, PA | $68,858 | $45,000 | 303,625 | 1 |
| 39 | Lubbock, TX | $72,620 | $47,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 40 | Irving, TX | $71,420 | $46,000 | 238,289 | - |
| 41 | Plano, TX | $71,378 | $46,000 | 286,057 | - |
| 42 | Dallas, TX | $71,367 | $46,000 | 1,317,929 | - |
| 43 | Long Beach, CA | $88,188 | $55,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 44 | Garland, TX | $71,347 | $46,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 45 | Anaheim, CA | $88,104 | $55,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 46 | Riverside, CA | $87,905 | $55,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 47 | Cincinnati, OH | $65,882 | $44,000 | 298,800 | - |
| 48 | Santa Ana, CA | $87,810 | $55,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 49 | Washington, DC | $86,548 | $57,000 | 681,170 | 12 |
| 50 | Aurora, CO | $70,793 | $48,000 | 361,710 | 5 |
Highest paying cities for research/program directors
| Rank | City | Avg. research/program director salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Novato, CA | $103,758 |
| 2 | Elmira, NY | $97,972 |
| 3 | Natick, MA | $92,988 |
| 4 | Jersey City, NJ | $88,202 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $86,548 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $76,605 |
| 7 | Greensboro, NC | $72,941 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $72,781 |
| 9 | Aurora, CO | $70,793 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $69,269 |
| 11 | Idaho Falls, ID | $67,824 |
| 12 | Lancaster, OH | $67,037 |
| 13 | Arlington, VA | $63,038 |
| 14 | Scottsdale, AZ | $61,806 |
| 15 | Miami, FL | $59,181 |
| 16 | Omaha, NE | $57,120 |
| 17 | Charleston, SC | $53,322 |
| 18 | Little Rock, AR | $51,992 |
| 19 | Milwaukee, WI | $51,607 |
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Updated January 8, 2025