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Contracts director salary
Average contracts director salary
$73,351
Understanding the Salary of a Contracts Director
The salary for a Contracts Director averages $73,351 per year, equating to approximately $35 per hour. This position plays a pivotal role in managing contracts, negotiating terms, and ensuring compliance with legal standards. Variations in salary can arise based on factors such as experience, industry, and geographic location.
Average Contracts Director Salary by State
In states like California and New York, Contracts Directors can expect higher salaries, often exceeding the national average. Industries such as technology and finance typically offer the highest compensation packages. A Contracts Director’s salary can also reflect the size and revenue of the company they work for.
Career Advancement Opportunities
For those looking to advance in this field, gaining additional certifications or experience in project management can be beneficial. Networking with industry professionals can also lead to more lucrative opportunities. As businesses increasingly rely on complex contracts, the demand for skilled Contracts Directors continues to grow.
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Where can a Contracts Director earn more?
Contracts director salary estimates from across the web
Average contracts director salary by state
The average contracts director salary in California, Virginia, and Michigan are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average contracts director salary states are Massachusetts, Alaska, and New Hampshire.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for contracts directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $84,929 | $40.83 |
| 2 | California | $85,107 | $40.92 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $82,180 | $39.51 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $78,940 | $37.95 |
| 5 | North Carolina | $78,822 | $37.90 |
| 6 | Arkansas | $68,527 | $32.95 |
| 7 | Michigan | $82,333 | $39.58 |
| 8 | Illinois | $75,523 | $36.31 |
| 9 | Alabama | $68,479 | $32.92 |
| 10 | Nevada | $75,030 | $36.07 |
| 11 | Maryland | $76,052 | $36.56 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $76,645 | $36.85 |
| 13 | Washington | $73,367 | $35.27 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $71,348 | $34.30 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $73,550 | $35.36 |
| 16 | Georgia | $72,221 | $34.72 |
| 17 | Delaware | $77,005 | $37.02 |
| 18 | Ohio | $71,378 | $34.32 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $65,754 | $31.61 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $71,031 | $34.15 |
| 21 | South Dakota | $63,146 | $30.36 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $68,179 | $32.78 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $64,343 | $30.93 |
| 24 | South Carolina | $70,037 | $33.67 |
| 25 | Oregon | $68,951 | $33.15 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $69,153 | $33.25 |
| 27 | Iowa | $63,652 | $30.60 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $63,288 | $30.43 |
| 29 | New York | $67,703 | $32.55 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $62,677 | $30.13 |
| 31 | Kansas | $68,483 | $32.92 |
| 32 | Texas | $64,515 | $31.02 |
| 33 | Colorado | $64,175 | $30.85 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $65,829 | $31.65 |
| 35 | Missouri | $64,992 | $31.25 |
| 36 | Arizona | $63,657 | $30.60 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $63,358 | $30.46 |
| 38 | Connecticut | $57,082 | $27.44 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $55,010 | $26.45 |
| 40 | Indiana | $63,718 | $30.63 |
| 41 | Florida | $62,226 | $29.92 |
| 42 | Utah | $61,781 | $29.70 |
| 43 | Rhode Island | $55,625 | $26.74 |
| 44 | Alaska | $52,079 | $25.04 |
| 45 | Massachusetts | $53,599 | $25.77 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $47,521 | $22.85 |
| 47 | Idaho | $59,664 | $28.68 |
| 48 | Montana | $55,629 | $26.74 |
| 49 | New Hampshire | $48,919 | $23.52 |
| 50 | Vermont | $44,223 | $21.26 |
| 51 | Maine | $37,730 | $18.14 |
Highest paying cities for contracts directors
The highest-paying cities for contracts directors are San Francisco, CA, Cherry Hill, NJ, and Arlington, VA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $89,874 | $43.21 |
| 2 | Cherry Hill, NJ | $86,131 | $41.41 |
| 3 | Arlington, VA | $85,571 | $41.14 |
| 4 | Grand Rapids, MI | $80,927 | $38.91 |
| 5 | Durham, NC | $79,922 | $38.42 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $76,629 | $36.84 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $76,066 | $36.57 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $75,733 | $36.41 |
| 9 | Renton, WA | $74,445 | $35.79 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $72,264 | $34.74 |
| 11 | Kingsport, TN | $71,459 | $34.36 |
| 12 | New York, NY | $69,667 | $33.49 |
| 13 | Huntsville, AL | $69,067 | $33.21 |
| 14 | Jackson, MS | $65,760 | $31.62 |
| 15 | Austin, TX | $65,215 | $31.35 |
| 16 | Aurora, CO | $64,210 | $30.87 |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $63,927 | $30.73 |
| 18 | Phoenix, AZ | $63,812 | $30.68 |
| 19 | Miami, FL | $62,686 | $30.14 |
| 20 | Idaho Falls, ID | $58,618 | $28.18 |
Contracts director salary details
A contracts director's salary ranges from $46,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $116,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a contracts director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $116,000 | $9,667 | $56 |
| 75th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| Average | $73,351 | $6,113 | $35 |
| 25th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| 10th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
Highest paying contracts director jobs
The highest paying types of contracts directors are director, procurement, supply chain director, and materials director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purchasing Manager | $98,118 | $8,176 | $47.17 | 30,430 |
| Material Manager | $96,125 | $8,010 | $46.21 | 43,759 |
| Supply Manager | $96,971 | $8,081 | $46.62 | 30,833 |
| Procurement Officer | $73,568 | $6,131 | $35.37 | 68,935 |
| Director Of Materials Management | $91,206 | $7,600 | $43.85 | 81,836 |
| Director Of Purchasing | $106,945 | $8,912 | $51.42 | 17,847 |
Top companies hiring contracts directors now:
Which companies pay contracts directors the most?
Contracts director salaries at Edwards Lifesciences and Amgen are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average contracts director salary at companies like Sanofi Genzyme and Sysmex are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edwards Lifesciences | $118,138 | $56.80 |
| 2 | Amgen | $118,080 | $56.77 |
| 3 | Sanofi Genzyme | $117,313 | $56.40 |
| 4 | Sysmex | $115,779 | $55.66 |
| 5 | First DataBank | $115,331 | $55.45 |
| 6 | Techop Solutions International | $113,252 | $54.45 |
| 7 | Cubic | $108,186 | $52.01 |
| 8 | Gartner | $106,512 | $51.21 |
| 9 | S2 Analytical Solutions | $105,451 | $50.70 |
| 10 | The Walt Disney Company | $105,233 | $50.59 |
| 11 | Cytokinetics | $104,983 | $50.47 |
| 12 | Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | $103,737 | $49.87 |
| 13 | FLIR Systems | $103,324 | $49.67 |
| 14 | AIG | $100,286 | $48.21 |
| 15 | CVS Health | $97,801 | $47.02 |
| 16 | Comcast | $97,460 | $46.86 |
| 17 | Aerojet Rocketdyne | $97,313 | $46.79 |
| 18 | Northrop Grumman | $97,163 | $46.71 |
| 19 | Oculus | $96,578 | $46.43 |
| 20 | LifeScan | $95,873 | $46.09 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Contracts Director salary by industry
The average contracts director salary varies across industries:
- The average contracts director salary in the manufacturing industry is $87,719, the highest of any industry.
- The average contracts director salary in the finance industry is $79,005.
- Contracts directors in the media industry earn an average salary of $72,708, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for contracts directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $87,719 | $42.17 |
| 2 | Technology | $79,005 | $37.98 |
| 3 | Professional | $77,479 | $37.25 |
| 4 | Transportation | $75,708 | $36.40 |
| 5 | Health Care | $75,039 | $36.08 |
| 6 | Media | $72,708 | $34.96 |
High paying contracts director jobs
Contracts director salary trends
The average contracts director salary has risen by $16,780 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average contracts director earned $56,571 annually, but today, they earn $73,351 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for contracts directors over the last decade.
Compare contracts director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average contracts director salary over time
Compare contracts director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Contracts director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $73,400 | $35.26 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $70,500 | $33.91 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $69,300 | $33.30 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $67,400 | $32.41 | +3.6% |
| 2021 | $65,000 | $31.25 | +3.1% |
Recently added contracts director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centene Corporation | Director, Regulatory Contract Management | Tacoma, WA | 06/28/2025 | $105,600 |
| Celestica | Commercial Contract Director | Nome, TX | 06/27/2025 | $139,376 |
| Morganfranklin Consulting | Director, Government Contracting Advisory Services | McLean, VA | 06/26/2025 | $157,500 |
| Fox Staffing Network | Director of Temporary Contract Staffing | Apex, NC | 06/26/2025 | $75,000 |
| Teva Pharmaceuticals | Director, Strategic GPO Contracting-Remote | Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $184,800 |
| Toyon Research | Director of Contracts | Goleta, CA | 06/20/2025 | $175,000 |
| Sanofi Group | Director Market Access Contracting | Morristown, NJ | 06/17/2025 | $172,500 |
| Optimal Solutions and Technologies | Director of Contracts | McLean, VA | 06/13/2025 | $175,000 |
| Alzheimers Los Angeles | Director, Contracts & Grants | Los Angeles, CA | 06/11/2025 | $110,000 |
| J&J Family of Companies | Contract Director (Remote)-Johnson and Johnson Medtech Electrophysiology | Irvine, CA | 06/10/2025 | $120,000 |
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