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The average salary for a Director of Program Development is approximately $69,014 per year, translating to about $33 per hour. This role is pivotal in ensuring that programs meet the evolving needs of clients and stakeholders. Factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specific industry can significantly impact salary levels.
Entry-level directors may start with a lower salary, but those with extensive experience can see substantial increases. For instance, professionals with over ten years of experience often earn upwards of $80,000. Specialization in areas like healthcare or education can also lead to higher compensation.
Understanding these dynamics can help you make informed career decisions and seek opportunities that align with your professional goals.
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The highest-paying states for directors of program development are New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. The lowest average director of program development salary states are Arizona, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $111,706 | $53.70 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $88,737 | $42.66 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $85,308 | $41.01 |
| 4 | Georgia | $79,152 | $38.05 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $102,746 | $49.40 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $73,094 | $35.14 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $84,971 | $40.85 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $83,502 | $40.15 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $76,180 | $36.63 |
| 10 | Ohio | $66,745 | $32.09 |
| 11 | Vermont | $81,175 | $39.03 |
| 12 | Delaware | $76,942 | $36.99 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $64,132 | $30.83 |
| 14 | Maryland | $83,557 | $40.17 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $56,538 | $27.18 |
| 16 | Maine | $75,593 | $36.34 |
| 17 | Virginia | $79,806 | $38.37 |
| 18 | Michigan | $59,740 | $28.72 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $58,621 | $28.18 |
| 20 | Indiana | $60,532 | $29.10 |
| 21 | Tennessee | $58,189 | $27.98 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $58,628 | $28.19 |
| 23 | Colorado | $64,182 | $30.86 |
| 24 | Nevada | $56,439 | $27.13 |
| 25 | Alabama | $52,577 | $25.28 |
| 26 | Iowa | $52,701 | $25.34 |
| 27 | Missouri | $57,673 | $27.73 |
| 28 | Oregon | $60,057 | $28.87 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $51,160 | $24.60 |
| 30 | California | $66,334 | $31.89 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $51,271 | $24.65 |
| 32 | Kansas | $53,295 | $25.62 |
| 33 | Washington | $59,636 | $28.67 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $51,571 | $24.79 |
| 35 | Illinois | $57,075 | $27.44 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $55,825 | $26.84 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $50,027 | $24.05 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $48,529 | $23.33 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $44,743 | $21.51 |
| 40 | Texas | $47,538 | $22.85 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $42,857 | $20.60 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $52,905 | $25.44 |
| 43 | Utah | $51,047 | $24.54 |
| 44 | Arizona | $44,700 | $21.49 |
| 45 | Idaho | $51,309 | $24.67 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $42,442 | $20.40 |
| 47 | Montana | $48,652 | $23.39 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $48,544 | $23.34 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $23,611 | $11.35 |
| 50 | Alaska | $37,630 | $18.09 |
| 51 | Florida | $38,183 | $18.36 |
The highest-paying cities for directors of program development are Albany, NY, Boston, MA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albany, NY | $115,658 | $55.60 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $103,703 | $49.86 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $85,473 | $41.09 |
| 4 | Dover, NH | $85,354 | $41.04 |
| 5 | Clifton, NJ | $83,930 | $40.35 |
| 6 | Arlington, VA | $82,460 | $39.64 |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | $80,451 | $38.68 |
| 8 | Davis, CA | $75,706 | $36.40 |
| 9 | Columbus, OH | $66,093 | $31.78 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $64,206 | $30.87 |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $60,104 | $28.90 |
| 12 | Saint Louis, MO | $59,635 | $28.67 |
| 13 | Ann Arbor, MI | $59,483 | $28.60 |
| 14 | Rochester, MN | $59,023 | $28.38 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $57,435 | $27.61 |
| 16 | Chapel Hill, NC | $57,130 | $27.47 |
| 17 | Bettendorf, IA | $54,661 | $26.28 |
| 18 | Provo, UT | $51,033 | $24.54 |
| 19 | Anderson, SC | $49,415 | $23.76 |
| 20 | Dallas, TX | $48,930 | $23.52 |
A director of program development's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $128,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $128,000 | $10,667 | $62 |
| 75th Percentile | $95,000 | $7,917 | $46 |
| Average | $69,014 | $5,751 | $33 |
| 25th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
The highest paying types of directors of program development are chief of staff, executive director, and director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Of Staff | $130,835 | $10,903 | $62.90 | 124,272 |
| Sports Director | $61,211 | $5,101 | $29.43 | 13,106 |
| Program Manager | $96,084 | $8,007 | $46.19 | 197,556 |
| Director | $113,489 | $9,457 | $54.56 | 230,711 |
| Development Director | $107,044 | $8,920 | $51.46 | 63,008 |
| Program Supervisor | $45,460 | $3,788 | $21.86 | 65,551 |
Top companies hiring directors of program development now:
Director of program development salaries at National Grid plc and Stanford University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average director of program development salary at companies like Apple and Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Grid plc | $185,859 | $89.36 |
| 2 | Stanford University | $182,158 | $87.58 |
| 3 | Apple | $181,700 | $87.36 |
| 4 | Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation | $180,801 | $86.92 |
| 5 | Wentworth-Douglass Hospital | $165,000 | $79.33 |
| 6 | UBS | $163,645 | $78.68 |
| 7 | Intel | $159,512 | $76.69 |
| 8 | AMC Networks | $142,988 | $68.74 |
| 9 | Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | $130,569 | $62.77 |
| 10 | Emory Healthcare | $126,387 | $60.76 |
| 11 | Emory University | $122,214 | $58.76 |
| 12 | University of Maryland, Baltimore | $120,678 | $58.02 |
| 13 | Elevance Health | $118,479 | $56.96 |
| 14 | Blue Origin | $115,037 | $55.31 |
| 15 | The James Irvine Foundation | $107,807 | $51.83 |
| 16 | DaVita Kidney Care | $102,115 | $49.09 |
| 17 | AMI International | $100,700 | $48.41 |
| 18 | IES Abroad | $91,267 | $43.88 |
| 19 | Adagio Health | $87,326 | $41.98 |
| 20 | Acadia Healthcare | $74,399 | $35.77 |
The average director of program development salary has risen by $5,185 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average director of program development earned $63,829 annually, but today, they earn $69,014 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for directors of program development over the last decade.
Compare director of program development salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare director of program development salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $69,000 | $33.18 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $67,200 | $32.32 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $64,800 | $31.13 | +0.1% |
| 2022 | $64,700 | $31.10 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | $64,100 | $30.81 | +3.5% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exact Sciences | Director, GAP Closure Program Development | Madison, WI | 06/30/2025 | $174,000 |
| Ambulnz | Senior Director, Clinical Excellence and Program Development | Fine, NY | 06/29/2025 | $170,000 |
| Aon Corporation | Director-Travel Insurance Program Development | Fine, NY | 06/27/2025 | $100,000 |
| Bae Systems | F-35 Program Director for Future EW Capability Development | Manchester, NH | 06/26/2025 | $150,370 |
| Cordis | Program Director, R&D (Selution) | Miami Lakes, FL | 06/26/2025 | $159,500 |
| Harford Community College | Director for Adult Development & Literacy Programs | Bel Air, MD | 06/26/2025 | $77,668 |
| Elevance Health | Strategy & Program Development Director-Payment Integrity Strategy & Planning | New York, NY | 06/24/2025 | $139,944 |
| Elevance Health | Strategy & Program Development Director-Payment Integrity Strategy & Planning | Boston, MA | 06/24/2025 | $139,944 |
| Touchstone IQ | Director of Business Development-Energy & Climate Policy Programs | Denver, CO | 06/24/2025 | $125,000 |
| Abbvie | Associate Director, Statistical Programming & Analysis-Oncology Early Development | South San Francisco, CA | 06/14/2025 | $137,500 |
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