Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Business development director salary
Average business development director salary
$117,784
Average Business Development Director Salary
The role of a Business Development Director is crucial in shaping a company’s growth strategy. As of October 2025, the average salary for this position is $117,784 per year. Factors influencing salary include experience level, location, and industry sector. For instance, directors with over ten years of experience typically earn higher than their entry-level counterparts.
Where Can a Business Development Director Earn More?
Salaries can vary significantly by state. For example, regions with a high cost of living, such as California and New York, tend to offer higher compensation. Additionally, sectors like technology and finance often provide more lucrative opportunities.
Business Development Director Salary Estimates
According to various sources, the salary estimates align closely, reinforcing the average figure. Job seekers can find positions across diverse industries, enhancing the role’s appeal. Tools such as salary calculators can help prospective employees gauge their potential earnings based on location and experience.
Let Zippi find your next business development director job
Let Zippi find your next business development director job
Where can a Business Development Director earn more?
Business development director salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level business development director | $87,400 | $42.04 |
| Mid-level business development director | $93,400 | $44.90 |
| Senior-level business development director | $212,000 | $102.14 |
Business development director salary estimates from across the web
Average business development director salary by state
The average business development director salary in New Mexico, California, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average business development director salary states are North Dakota, South Dakota, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for business development directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $133,693 | $64.28 |
| 2 | Tennessee | $126,078 | $60.61 |
| 3 | Nevada | $120,204 | $57.79 |
| 4 | Michigan | $121,314 | $58.32 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $117,174 | $56.33 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $126,285 | $60.71 |
| 7 | South Carolina | $121,106 | $58.22 |
| 8 | Kansas | $116,843 | $56.17 |
| 9 | California | $132,585 | $63.74 |
| 10 | Missouri | $117,231 | $56.36 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $119,966 | $57.68 |
| 12 | Utah | $120,028 | $57.71 |
| 13 | Washington | $123,897 | $59.57 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $123,721 | $59.48 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $115,124 | $55.35 |
| 16 | Indiana | $113,390 | $54.51 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $110,645 | $53.19 |
| 18 | Arizona | $114,455 | $55.03 |
| 19 | Alabama | $108,548 | $52.19 |
| 20 | New York | $117,665 | $56.57 |
| 21 | Ohio | $107,693 | $51.78 |
| 22 | Arkansas | $103,880 | $49.94 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $119,464 | $57.43 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $113,911 | $54.76 |
| 25 | Maine | $116,006 | $55.77 |
| 26 | Georgia | $112,876 | $54.27 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $105,235 | $50.59 |
| 28 | Illinois | $112,933 | $54.29 |
| 29 | Texas | $106,183 | $51.05 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $99,025 | $47.61 |
| 31 | Oregon | $108,474 | $52.15 |
| 32 | Maryland | $116,849 | $56.18 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $101,409 | $48.75 |
| 34 | Iowa | $95,091 | $45.72 |
| 35 | Colorado | $112,805 | $54.23 |
| 36 | Rhode Island | $105,827 | $50.88 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $96,526 | $46.41 |
| 38 | Virginia | $111,083 | $53.41 |
| 39 | Montana | $96,075 | $46.19 |
| 40 | Idaho | $105,576 | $50.76 |
| 41 | New Hampshire | $106,463 | $51.18 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $94,443 | $45.41 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $97,030 | $46.65 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $92,462 | $44.45 |
| 45 | Vermont | $103,267 | $49.65 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $92,739 | $44.59 |
| 47 | Alaska | $86,460 | $41.57 |
| 48 | North Dakota | $94,006 | $45.20 |
| 49 | Delaware | $100,992 | $48.55 |
| 50 | Florida | $83,266 | $40.03 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $72,133 | $34.68 |
Highest paying cities for business development directors
The highest-paying cities for business development directors are San Francisco, CA, Boston, MA, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $141,219 | $67.89 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $128,512 | $61.78 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $125,214 | $60.20 |
| 4 | Stamford, CT | $124,891 | $60.04 |
| 5 | Detroit, MI | $122,859 | $59.07 |
| 6 | Raleigh, NC | $121,708 | $58.51 |
| 7 | Edison, NJ | $120,700 | $58.03 |
| 8 | Salt Lake City, UT | $120,325 | $57.85 |
| 9 | Las Vegas, NV | $120,265 | $57.82 |
| 10 | New York, NY | $118,675 | $57.06 |
| 11 | Baltimore, MD | $117,913 | $56.69 |
| 12 | Saint Louis, MO | $117,767 | $56.62 |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $116,136 | $55.83 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $115,647 | $55.60 |
| 15 | Washington, DC | $114,739 | $55.16 |
| 16 | Atlanta, GA | $114,235 | $54.92 |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $114,021 | $54.82 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $113,636 | $54.63 |
| 19 | Denver, CO | $113,043 | $54.35 |
| 20 | Arlington, VA | $112,678 | $54.17 |
Business Development Directors are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Business development director salary details
A business development director's salary ranges from $72,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $192,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a business development director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $192,000 | $16,000 | $92 |
| 75th Percentile | $152,000 | $12,667 | $73 |
| Average | $117,784 | $9,815 | $57 |
| 25th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
| 10th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
Highest paying business development director jobs
The highest paying types of business development directors are vice president, business development, global director, and group director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director Of Sales | $111,068 | $9,256 | $53.40 | 91,891 |
| Director Of Product Development | $140,507 | $11,709 | $67.55 | 175,429 |
| Director Of Marketing & Development | $98,174 | $8,181 | $47.20 | 151,893 |
| Planning Director | $131,978 | $10,998 | $63.45 | 51,861 |
| Global Director | $157,749 | $13,146 | $75.84 | 81,120 |
| Group Director | $149,193 | $12,433 | $71.73 | 89,420 |
Top companies hiring business development directors now:
Which companies pay business development directors the most?
Business development director salaries at alliantgroup and Baltimore City Community College are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average business development director salary at companies like Baker McKenzie and Biogen are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | alliantgroup | $231,749 | $111.42 |
| 2 | Baltimore City Community College | $204,342 | $98.24 |
| 3 | Baker McKenzie | $203,767 | $97.96 |
| 4 | Biogen | $186,406 | $89.62 |
| 5 | Exelixis | $184,032 | $88.48 |
| 6 | Revlon | $183,875 | $88.40 |
| 7 | Meta | $181,525 | $87.27 |
| 8 | JUUL | $180,916 | $86.98 |
| 9 | Bain & Company | $178,904 | $86.01 |
| 10 | eBay | $178,550 | $85.84 |
| 11 | Superpedestrian | $177,177 | $85.18 |
| 12 | Incyte | $174,546 | $83.92 |
| 13 | VMware | $174,155 | $83.73 |
| 14 | Capgemini | $173,681 | $83.50 |
| 15 | FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies | $173,623 | $83.47 |
| 16 | Hearst | $173,081 | $83.21 |
| 17 | Natera | $172,475 | $82.92 |
| 18 | Ernst & Young | $170,350 | $81.90 |
| 19 | Intuit | $169,875 | $81.67 |
| 20 | Amgen | $169,712 | $81.59 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Business Development Director salary by industry
The average business development director salary varies across industries:
- The average business development director salary in the finance industry is $124,195, the highest of any industry.
- The average business development director salary in the finance industry is $122,154.
- Business development directors in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $101,048, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for business development directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $124,195 | $59.71 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $122,154 | $58.73 |
| 3 | Media | $117,392 | $56.44 |
| 4 | Technology | $116,775 | $56.14 |
| 5 | Professional | $113,963 | $54.79 |
| 6 | Retail | $111,176 | $53.45 |
| 7 | Health Care | $104,796 | $50.38 |
| 8 | Hospitality | $101,048 | $48.58 |
High paying business development director jobs
Business development director salary trends
The average business development director salary has risen by $21,673 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average business development director earned $96,111 annually, but today, they earn $117,784 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for business development directors over the last decade.
Compare business development director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average business development director salary over time
Compare business development director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Business development director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $118,000 | $56.63 | +3.7% |
| 2024 | $113,000 | $54.51 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $111,000 | $53.49 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $110,000 | $52.67 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | $109,000 | $52.25 | +1.9% |
Recently added business development director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryder System Inc. | Director Business Development-Freight Brokerage | Alpharetta, GA | 06/30/2025 | $95,000 |
| Kaplan | Business Development Director, Higher Education | Boone, NC | 06/30/2025 | $64,000 |
| Sierra Nevada | Director Business Development-Commercial Aviation | Sparks, NV | 06/30/2025 | $175,104 |
| Apltd Branding | Director Business Development | Tempe, AZ | 06/30/2025 | $115,000 |
| The Trade Desk | Director, Business Development-Advertiser (Entertainment) | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $120,800 |
| Intralinks | Director Business Development Hedge Funds | Day, NY | 06/29/2025 | $160,000 |
| Chubb | Chubb Risk Consulting Director, Business Development (Remote With Travel) | Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $114,900 |
| Toll Group | Director of Business Development-Healthcare | Atlanta, GA | 06/29/2025 | $120,000 |
| Perspecta | Business Development Director (Navy) | San Diego, CA | 06/29/2025 | $176,000 |
| Battery Research & Testing | Business Development Director | Las Vegas, NV | 06/29/2025 | $125,000 |
Business development director salary FAQs
Search for business development director jobs