Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Director salary
Average director salary
$113,489
Average Director Salary Insights
As of October 2025, the average director salary stands at $113,489 per year. This figure can vary widely based on geographic location, industry, and the director's level of experience. For instance, directors in metropolitan areas often earn more due to a higher cost of living and increased demand for leadership roles.
Some of the highest paying states for directors include California, New York, and Texas, where salaries can exceed $130,000 annually. Additionally, sectors such as technology, finance, and healthcare typically offer higher compensation packages for director-level positions.
Understanding the salary landscape is crucial for directors, as it helps with negotiating salaries and benefits effectively. Resources like Zippia provide valuable insights into salary trends, allowing professionals to compare average salaries by state and industry. This knowledge can empower job seekers to make informed decisions about their career paths and target high-paying opportunities that match their skills and aspirations.
Let Zippia find your next director job
Let Zippia find your next director job
Where can a Director earn more?
Director salary estimates from across the web
Average director salary by state
The average director salary in New York, California, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average director salary states are Louisiana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $135,344 | $65.07 |
| 2 | California | $131,748 | $63.34 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $122,159 | $58.73 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $109,188 | $52.49 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $113,852 | $54.74 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $104,675 | $50.32 |
| 7 | Georgia | $109,902 | $52.84 |
| 8 | Texas | $100,310 | $48.23 |
| 9 | Illinois | $96,039 | $46.17 |
| 10 | Washington | $97,159 | $46.71 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $90,887 | $43.70 |
| 12 | Virginia | $97,075 | $46.67 |
| 13 | Nevada | $92,123 | $44.29 |
| 14 | Delaware | $92,963 | $44.69 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $103,465 | $49.74 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $91,048 | $43.77 |
| 17 | Florida | $91,455 | $43.97 |
| 18 | Vermont | $87,042 | $41.85 |
| 19 | Maryland | $96,004 | $46.16 |
| 20 | Oregon | $86,486 | $41.58 |
| 21 | Arizona | $87,154 | $41.90 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $100,633 | $48.38 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $83,557 | $40.17 |
| 24 | Michigan | $90,763 | $43.64 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $85,460 | $41.09 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $84,174 | $40.47 |
| 27 | Colorado | $85,569 | $41.14 |
| 28 | Maine | $76,641 | $36.85 |
| 29 | Ohio | $76,333 | $36.70 |
| 30 | Idaho | $76,110 | $36.59 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $77,396 | $37.21 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $75,391 | $36.25 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $79,223 | $38.09 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $75,041 | $36.08 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $73,025 | $35.11 |
| 36 | Utah | $68,049 | $32.72 |
| 37 | Montana | $69,926 | $33.62 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $73,599 | $35.38 |
| 39 | Missouri | $73,563 | $35.37 |
| 40 | Alaska | $68,099 | $32.74 |
| 41 | Alabama | $71,484 | $34.37 |
| 42 | Indiana | $66,872 | $32.15 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $65,553 | $31.52 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $67,685 | $32.54 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $66,539 | $31.99 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $64,637 | $31.08 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $64,476 | $31.00 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $63,773 | $30.66 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $65,507 | $31.49 |
| 50 | Kansas | $61,347 | $29.49 |
| 51 | Iowa | $59,877 | $28.79 |
Highest paying cities for directors
The highest-paying cities for directors are New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA, and Stamford, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $139,575 | $67.10 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $136,707 | $65.72 |
| 3 | Stamford, CT | $125,420 | $60.30 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $114,648 | $55.12 |
| 5 | Atlanta, GA | $109,715 | $52.75 |
| 6 | Jersey City, NJ | $109,651 | $52.72 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $104,894 | $50.43 |
| 8 | San Antonio, TX | $104,178 | $50.09 |
| 9 | Seattle, WA | $98,165 | $47.19 |
| 10 | Richmond, VA | $96,902 | $46.59 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $96,407 | $46.35 |
| 12 | Baltimore, MD | $96,191 | $46.25 |
| 13 | Miami, FL | $93,950 | $45.17 |
| 14 | Las Vegas, NV | $92,870 | $44.65 |
| 15 | Raleigh, NC | $92,325 | $44.39 |
| 16 | Detroit, MI | $91,344 | $43.92 |
| 17 | Phoenix, AZ | $87,128 | $41.89 |
| 18 | Portland, OR | $85,949 | $41.32 |
| 19 | Minneapolis, MN | $85,580 | $41.14 |
| 20 | Denver, CO | $85,514 | $41.11 |
Directors are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Director salary details
A director's salary ranges from $66,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $192,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $192,000 | $16,000 | $92 |
| 75th Percentile | $149,000 | $12,417 | $72 |
| Average | $113,489 | $9,457 | $55 |
| 25th Percentile | $85,000 | $7,083 | $41 |
| 10th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
Highest paying director jobs
The highest paying types of directors are corporate director, senior director, and group director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director Of Operations And Finance | $118,503 | $9,875 | $56.97 | 186,569 |
| Regional Director Of Operations | $115,156 | $9,596 | $55.36 | 130,533 |
| Director, Special Projects | $129,916 | $10,826 | $62.46 | 45,103 |
| Department Director | $97,804 | $8,150 | $47.02 | 73,424 |
| Operations Director | $104,050 | $8,671 | $50.02 | 114,993 |
| Corporate Director | $154,906 | $12,909 | $74.47 | 66,254 |
Top companies hiring directors now:
Which companies pay directors the most?
Director salaries at Mayo Clinic and ICE Mortgage Technology are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average director salary at companies like Apple and Barclays are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayo Clinic | $235,290 | $113.12 |
| 2 | ICE Mortgage Technology | $225,540 | $108.43 |
| 3 | Apple | $220,883 | $106.19 |
| 4 | Barclays | $218,102 | $104.86 |
| 5 | McKinsey & Company Inc | $216,971 | $104.31 |
| 6 | alliantgroup | $216,763 | $104.21 |
| 7 | Deutsche Asset Management | $216,759 | $104.21 |
| 8 | Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group | $214,914 | $103.32 |
| 9 | NVIDIA | $213,795 | $102.79 |
| 10 | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | $212,968 | $102.39 |
| 11 | eBay | $210,386 | $101.15 |
| 12 | General Atlantic | $209,757 | $100.84 |
| 13 | THINX | $209,571 | $100.76 |
| 14 | $208,634 | $100.30 | |
| 15 | Biogen | $207,115 | $99.57 |
| 16 | Bain & Company | $206,163 | $99.12 |
| 17 | National Bank of Canada | $205,986 | $99.03 |
| 18 | BNP Paribas | $205,946 | $99.01 |
| 19 | A.T. Kearney | $205,854 | $98.97 |
| 20 | Deutsche Bank | $204,557 | $98.34 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Director salary by industry
The average director salary varies across industries:
- The average director salary in the finance industry is $155,819, the highest of any industry.
- The average director salary in the finance industry is $134,650.
- Directors in the government industry earn an average salary of $87,856, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $155,819 | $74.91 |
| 2 | Professional | $134,650 | $64.74 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $129,923 | $62.46 |
| 4 | Technology | $127,752 | $61.42 |
| 5 | Health Care | $112,060 | $53.88 |
| 6 | Government | $87,856 | $42.24 |
High paying director jobs
Director salary trends
The average director salary has risen by $8,526 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average director earned $104,963 annually, but today, they earn $113,489 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for directors over the last decade.
Compare director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average director salary over time
Compare director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $113,000 | $54.56 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $111,000 | $53.15 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $106,000 | $51.19 | +0.1% |
| 2022 | $106,000 | $51.15 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | $105,000 | $50.67 | +3.5% |
Recently added director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scripps Networks Interactive | Director II, Wkbw | Buffalo, NY | 06/30/2025 | $45,184 |
| Chanel | Boutique Director, Bridgeport Village | Tigard, OR | 06/30/2025 | $87,500 |
| Chanel | Fragrance & Beauty Boutique Director, Valley Fair | Santa Clara, CA | 06/30/2025 | $87,500 |
| Chanel | Boutique Director, Soho | Day, NY | 06/30/2025 | $133,000 |
| Chanel | Boutique Director, Neiman Marcus Houston | Houston, TX | 06/30/2025 | $133,000 |
| Pricewaterhousecoopers | Tax Director-Private Companies | New York, NY | 06/30/2025 | $150,000 |
| Sutterhealth | Director Accreditation & Licensure | Sacramento, CA | 06/30/2025 | $173,221 |
| International City Management | Solid Waste Director | Nunez, GA | 06/30/2025 | $100,000 |
| Barry-Wehmiller | Director | San Francisco, CA | 06/30/2025 | $140,000 |
| American Family Insurance | Cybersecurity Director | Boston, MA | 06/30/2025 | $165,000 |
Director salary FAQs
Search for director jobs