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The role of a managing director is pivotal in any organization, often involving strategic decision-making and leadership responsibilities. As of October 2025, the average salary for managing directors in the United States is $129,690 annually. This figure, however, can fluctuate based on a range of factors, including industry, location, and years of experience.
To maximize earning potential, aspiring managing directors should consider seeking opportunities in high-paying industries and locations. Continuous professional development and networking can also contribute to career advancement. For those aiming for leadership roles, understanding the salary landscape and job market trends is essential. Explore positions on job boards like Zippia to find opportunities suited to your skills and aspirations.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level managing director | $53,400 | $25.68 |
| Mid-level managing director | $82,500 | $39.66 |
| Senior-level managing director | $150,000 | $71.92 |
The average managing director salary in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average managing director salary states are Iowa, Missouri, and Mississippi.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $166,113 | $79.86 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $153,104 | $73.61 |
| 3 | Delaware | $140,200 | $67.40 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $147,835 | $71.07 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $142,536 | $68.53 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $148,131 | $71.22 |
| 7 | Louisiana | $130,354 | $62.67 |
| 8 | South Dakota | $124,974 | $60.08 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $134,195 | $64.52 |
| 10 | North Carolina | $129,906 | $62.45 |
| 11 | California | $133,285 | $64.08 |
| 12 | Virginia | $132,993 | $63.94 |
| 13 | Illinois | $120,339 | $57.86 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $122,626 | $58.95 |
| 15 | Washington | $122,606 | $58.95 |
| 16 | Ohio | $121,307 | $58.32 |
| 17 | Colorado | $123,872 | $59.55 |
| 18 | Alabama | $114,257 | $54.93 |
| 19 | Texas | $116,464 | $55.99 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $118,631 | $57.03 |
| 21 | Maryland | $127,037 | $61.08 |
| 22 | Maine | $117,967 | $56.71 |
| 23 | Michigan | $122,159 | $58.73 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $118,701 | $57.07 |
| 25 | Nevada | $115,963 | $55.75 |
| 26 | Vermont | $111,597 | $53.65 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $115,829 | $55.69 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $103,195 | $49.61 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $105,613 | $50.78 |
| 30 | Georgia | $109,827 | $52.80 |
| 31 | Oregon | $107,925 | $51.89 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $105,545 | $50.74 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $105,183 | $50.57 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $102,858 | $49.45 |
| 35 | Arizona | $105,242 | $50.60 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $107,861 | $51.86 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $104,632 | $50.30 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $106,118 | $51.02 |
| 39 | Kansas | $103,683 | $49.85 |
| 40 | Florida | $101,927 | $49.00 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $94,292 | $45.33 |
| 42 | Alaska | $104,597 | $50.29 |
| 43 | Utah | $99,081 | $47.64 |
| 44 | Indiana | $102,350 | $49.21 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $103,486 | $49.75 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $99,540 | $47.86 |
| 47 | Montana | $90,784 | $43.65 |
| 48 | Iowa | $96,246 | $46.27 |
| 49 | Missouri | $95,871 | $46.09 |
| 50 | Idaho | $93,206 | $44.81 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $88,229 | $42.42 |
The highest-paying cities for managing directors are New York, NY, Stamford, CT, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $184,800 | $88.85 |
| 2 | Stamford, CT | $163,617 | $78.66 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $157,328 | $75.64 |
| 4 | Jersey City, NJ | $156,922 | $75.44 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $150,294 | $72.26 |
| 6 | Menlo Park, CA | $143,005 | $68.75 |
| 7 | Arlington, VA | $138,368 | $66.52 |
| 8 | Raleigh, NC | $136,419 | $65.59 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $130,386 | $62.69 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $126,758 | $60.94 |
| 11 | Cleveland, OH | $126,336 | $60.74 |
| 12 | Seattle, WA | $126,084 | $60.62 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $124,032 | $59.63 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $120,959 | $58.15 |
| 15 | Austin, TX | $120,844 | $58.10 |
| 16 | Portland, ME | $120,442 | $57.90 |
| 17 | Las Vegas, NV | $118,364 | $56.91 |
| 18 | Columbus, GA | $111,800 | $53.75 |
| 19 | Minneapolis, MN | $108,888 | $52.35 |
| 20 | Portland, OR | $107,968 | $51.91 |
Managing Directors are the most in-demand in these five cities:
A managing director's salary ranges from $72,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $233,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $233,000 | $19,417 | $112 |
| 75th Percentile | $176,000 | $14,667 | $85 |
| Average | $129,690 | $10,808 | $62 |
| 25th Percentile | $95,000 | $7,917 | $46 |
| 10th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
The highest paying types of managing directors are senior vice president, division vice president, and senior director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division Vice President | $158,729 | $13,227 | $76.31 | 68,176 |
| Director Of Operations And Finance | $118,503 | $9,875 | $56.97 | 186,569 |
| Director Of Business Operations | $111,945 | $9,329 | $53.82 | 202,032 |
| Director Of Managed Services | $120,859 | $10,072 | $58.11 | 117,659 |
| Regional Director Of Operations | $115,156 | $9,596 | $55.36 | 130,533 |
| Group Director | $149,193 | $12,433 | $71.73 | 89,420 |
Top companies hiring managing directors now:
Managing director salaries at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and Russell Reynolds Associates are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average managing director salary at companies like The Citadel and Citi are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison | $337,423 | $162.22 |
| 2 | Russell Reynolds Associates | $294,116 | $141.40 |
| 3 | The Citadel | $283,620 | $136.36 |
| 4 | Citi | $279,761 | $134.50 |
| 5 | Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group | $279,572 | $134.41 |
| 6 | Barclays | $279,346 | $134.30 |
| 7 | Deutsche Bank | $277,204 | $133.27 |
| 8 | Sagent Advisors | $277,135 | $133.24 |
| 9 | Genentech | $274,680 | $132.06 |
| 10 | Goldman Sachs | $274,338 | $131.89 |
| 11 | The Carlyle Group | $273,691 | $131.58 |
| 12 | BNP Paribas | $273,528 | $131.50 |
| 13 | CFA Institute | $273,014 | $131.26 |
| 14 | Capgemini | $270,245 | $129.93 |
| 15 | University of Maryland, Baltimore | $269,364 | $129.50 |
| 16 | Wells Capital Management | $268,994 | $129.32 |
| 17 | L.E.K. Consulting | $268,031 | $128.86 |
| 18 | BBDO Detroit | $267,235 | $128.48 |
| 19 | Credit Suisse | $266,816 | $128.28 |
| 20 | State Street | $264,192 | $127.02 |
The average managing director salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $177,065 | $85.13 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $167,412 | $80.49 |
| 3 | Professional | $156,617 | $75.30 |
| 4 | Technology | $155,761 | $74.89 |
| 5 | Hospitality | $131,225 | $63.09 |
The average managing director salary has risen by $10,635 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average managing director earned $119,055 annually, but today, they earn $129,690 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for managing directors over the last decade.
Compare managing director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare managing director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $130,000 | $62.35 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $126,000 | $60.62 | -0.1% |
| 2023 | $126,000 | $60.71 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $126,000 | $60.40 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $124,000 | $59.74 | +1.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadridge | Director, Change Management | Day, NY | 06/30/2025 | $140,000 |
| John Hancock | Director, Asset Management | Atlanta, GA | 06/30/2025 | $129,000 |
| John Hancock | Director/Managing Director, Real Estate Credit Asset Management | New York, NY | 06/30/2025 | $174,000 |
| Sutterhealth | Director, Revenue Cycle Mgmt | Sacramento, CA | 06/30/2025 | $157,464 |
| USAA | Director, Audit-Capital Management | Charlotte, NC | 06/30/2025 | $143,320 |
| Bell Partners | Director of Asset Management | San Francisco, CA | 06/30/2025 | $140,000 |
| Einstein Bros. Bagels | Director, Talent Management | Denver, CO | 06/30/2025 | $114,088 |
| Target | Director, Real Estate Document Management | Minneapolis, MN | 06/30/2025 | $131,000 |
| Aaamidatlantic | Managing Director, Accounting | Wilmington, DE | 06/30/2025 | $115,528 |
| Trustage | Technology Business Management Director | Madison, WI | 06/30/2025 | $126,000 |
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