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Program research specialist salary
Average program research specialist salary
$60,904
Understanding the Salary of a Program Research Specialist
The role of a Program Research Specialist is crucial in various fields, providing insights that shape programs and policies. As of October 2025, the average salary for this position is $60,904 annually, translating to about $29 per hour. Salaries may differ significantly based on experience level; entry-level specialists typically earn lower wages, while those with several years in the field can command higher pay.
Geographic location also impacts earnings. For instance, specialists in metropolitan areas often receive higher salaries due to the increased cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. States like California and New York frequently offer some of the highest salaries for this role.
For those considering a career as a Program Research Specialist, understanding the financial landscape is essential. This role offers not only competitive salaries but also opportunities for growth within organizations, making it an attractive option for individuals passionate about research and program development.
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Where can a Program Research Specialist earn more?
Program research specialist salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level program research specialist | $38,200 | $18.37 |
| Mid-level program research specialist | $64,500 | $31.03 |
| Senior-level program research specialist | $106,000 | $50.81 |
Average program research specialist salary by state
The highest-paying states for program research specialists are Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland. The lowest average program research specialist salary states are Missouri, Florida, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for program research specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $82,723 | $39.77 |
| 2 | New York | $73,291 | $35.24 |
| 3 | Oregon | $68,728 | $33.04 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $77,036 | $37.04 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $68,435 | $32.90 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $66,588 | $32.01 |
| 7 | Illinois | $66,746 | $32.09 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $60,962 | $29.31 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $61,588 | $29.61 |
| 10 | Michigan | $63,035 | $30.31 |
| 11 | California | $68,007 | $32.70 |
| 12 | Arkansas | $57,480 | $27.63 |
| 13 | Washington | $69,782 | $33.55 |
| 14 | Maryland | $73,302 | $35.24 |
| 15 | Montana | $54,967 | $26.43 |
| 16 | Maine | $55,797 | $26.83 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $51,756 | $24.88 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $58,893 | $28.31 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $67,111 | $32.26 |
| 20 | Idaho | $53,560 | $25.75 |
| 21 | Texas | $54,841 | $26.37 |
| 22 | Nevada | $58,371 | $28.06 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $55,612 | $26.74 |
| 24 | Colorado | $53,669 | $25.80 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $53,223 | $25.59 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $51,180 | $24.61 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $49,692 | $23.89 |
| 28 | Alaska | $62,299 | $29.95 |
| 29 | Virginia | $60,098 | $28.89 |
| 30 | Utah | $49,606 | $23.85 |
| 31 | Vermont | $53,829 | $25.88 |
| 32 | Arizona | $50,174 | $24.12 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $50,712 | $24.38 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $49,412 | $23.76 |
| 35 | Massachusetts | $55,858 | $26.85 |
| 36 | Ohio | $50,323 | $24.19 |
| 37 | Iowa | $50,064 | $24.07 |
| 38 | Georgia | $49,645 | $23.87 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $50,581 | $24.32 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $37,317 | $17.94 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $47,048 | $22.62 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $43,591 | $20.96 |
| 43 | Florida | $42,026 | $20.20 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $48,501 | $23.32 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $46,321 | $22.27 |
| 46 | Alabama | $44,338 | $21.32 |
| 47 | Indiana | $43,168 | $20.75 |
| 48 | Kansas | $41,409 | $19.91 |
| 49 | Missouri | $43,144 | $20.74 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $38,812 | $18.66 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $38,546 | $18.53 |
Highest paying cities for program research specialists
The highest-paying cities for program research specialists are Sacramento, CA, New York, NY, and Baltimore, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $78,450 | $37.72 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $73,628 | $35.40 |
| 3 | Baltimore, MD | $73,581 | $35.38 |
| 4 | Olympia, WA | $70,932 | $34.10 |
| 5 | Northbrook, IL | $67,600 | $32.50 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $67,087 | $32.25 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh, PA | $63,802 | $30.67 |
| 8 | Ann Arbor, MI | $62,695 | $30.14 |
| 9 | Arlington, VA | $62,335 | $29.97 |
| 10 | Durham, NC | $61,267 | $29.46 |
| 11 | Las Vegas, NV | $57,338 | $27.57 |
| 12 | Austin, TX | $55,458 | $26.66 |
| 13 | Saint George, UT | $53,862 | $25.90 |
| 14 | Littleton, CO | $53,695 | $25.81 |
| 15 | Madison, WI | $49,778 | $23.93 |
| 16 | Clearwater, FL | $42,418 | $20.39 |
Program research specialist salary details
A program research specialist's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $90,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a program research specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
| 75th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| Average | $60,904 | $5,075 | $29 |
| 25th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
Highest paying program research specialist jobs
The highest paying types of program research specialists are research director, research leader, and product specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Internship | $30,260 | $2,522 | $14.55 | 122,135 |
| Marketing Consultant | $70,593 | $5,883 | $33.94 | 88,935 |
| Marketing Coordinator | $48,326 | $4,027 | $23.23 | 91,281 |
| Marketing Representative | $47,377 | $3,948 | $22.78 | 217,886 |
| Research Internship | $39,573 | $3,298 | $19.03 | 95,123 |
| Research Manager | $82,894 | $6,908 | $39.85 | 48,867 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for program research specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Rowan University
Top companies hiring program research specialists now:
Which companies pay program research specialists the most?
Program research specialist salaries at SAP and SkyWest Airlines are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average program research specialist salary at companies like Mathematica and Mayo Clinic are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SAP | $91,494 | $43.99 |
| 2 | SkyWest Airlines | $85,562 | $41.14 |
| 3 | Mathematica | $82,923 | $39.87 |
| 4 | Mayo Clinic | $71,998 | $34.61 |
| 5 | Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc. | $69,027 | $33.19 |
| 6 | Blue Cross Blue Shield of VT | $66,476 | $31.96 |
| 7 | OpticsPlanet | $66,281 | $31.87 |
| 8 | FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics | $66,047 | $31.75 |
| 9 | University of Illinois Springfield | $65,747 | $31.61 |
| 10 | CNA Holding Corporation | $61,982 | $29.80 |
| 11 | Education Dept | $61,982 | $29.80 |
| 12 | Embrace | $61,982 | $29.80 |
| 13 | Forum Corp | $61,943 | $29.78 |
| 14 | The Medicus Firm | $61,531 | $29.58 |
| 15 | National Renewable Energy Laboratory | $61,404 | $29.52 |
| 16 | Health Research, Inc. | $60,892 | $29.27 |
| 17 | University of Maryland, Baltimore | $58,414 | $28.08 |
| 18 | United Way Of The National Capital Area | $56,238 | $27.04 |
| 19 | Federal Reserve Bank | $55,568 | $26.72 |
| 20 | Georgetown University | $55,134 | $26.51 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Program Research Specialist salary by industry
The average program research specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average program research specialist salary in the technology industry is $76,082, the highest of any industry.
- The average program research specialist salary in the finance industry is $56,691.
- Program research specialists in the media industry earn an average salary of $46,504, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for program research specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $76,082 | $36.58 |
| 2 | Government | $56,691 | $27.26 |
| 3 | Non Profits | $53,315 | $25.63 |
| 4 | Education | $52,966 | $25.46 |
| 5 | Media | $46,504 | $22.36 |
High paying program research specialist jobs
Program research specialist salary trends
The average program research specialist salary has risen by $5,146 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average program research specialist earned $55,758 annually, but today, they earn $60,904 a year. That works out to a 5% change in pay for program research specialists over the last decade.
Compare program research specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average program research specialist salary over time
Compare program research specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Program research specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $60,900 | $29.28 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $59,000 | $28.38 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $58,400 | $28.08 | -0.2% |
| 2022 | $58,500 | $28.13 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $57,900 | $27.83 | +0.7% |
Recently added program research specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State of New York | Program Research Specialist 4 (Economics Finance), SG | New York, NY | 06/28/2025 | $106,898 |
| Health Research, Inc. | Program Research Specialist III | Albany, NY | 05/15/2025 | $86,019 |
| State of New York | Program Research Specialist 2 (Criminal Justice) (NY Helps), Central Office | Albany, NY | 04/24/2025 | $86,681 |
| State of New York | Program Research Specialist 1/Trainee 1/Trainee 2 | Menands, NY | 03/21/2025 | $65,001 |
| The University of Southern California | Research Program Specialist | Los Angeles, CA | 03/06/2025 | $70,990 |
| HRI Albany Division | Program Research Specialist III | Albany, NY | 02/23/2025 | $82,711 |
| State of New York | Program Research Specialist 3 | Albany, NY | 02/20/2025 | $93,530 |
| New York State Civil Service | Program Research Specialist 3 | Albany, NY | 02/18/2025 | $93,530 |
| Health Research, Inc. | Program Research Specialist III | Albany, NY | 02/11/2025 | $82,711 |
| ICF | Energy and Industry Program Researcher | Reston, VA | 01/26/2025 | $55,148 |
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