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Research and development specialist salary
Average research and development specialist salary
$74,263
Average Research and Development Specialist Salary
The average salary for a Research and Development Specialist in the United States is $74,263 per year. This figure translates to roughly $36 per hour. Salaries in this field can vary significantly based on experience, location, and the specific industry in which one operates.
Factors Influencing Salary
- Experience Level: Entry-level positions typically offer lower salaries, while specialists with several years of experience may see significant increases.
- Geographic Location: States like California and New York often provide higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
- Industry Variance: R&D specialists in tech or pharmaceuticals may earn more compared to those in other sectors.
Highest Paying States
States such as California, Massachusetts, and New York rank among the highest paying for research and development specialists, reflecting both demand and cost of living. Understanding these factors is crucial for job seekers aiming to maximize their earning potential.
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Where can a Research And Development Specialist earn more?
Research and development specialist salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level research and development specialist | $46,600 | $22.40 |
| Mid-level research and development specialist | $78,700 | $37.83 |
| Senior-level research and development specialist | $129,000 | $61.96 |
Average research and development specialist salary by state
The average research and development specialist salary in Delaware, Washington, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average research and development specialist salary states are Alabama, Utah, and Missouri.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for research and development specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $81,997 | $39.42 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $79,082 | $38.02 |
| 3 | Ohio | $81,732 | $39.29 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $77,487 | $37.25 |
| 5 | Delaware | $104,796 | $50.38 |
| 6 | Washington | $103,926 | $49.96 |
| 7 | Oregon | $79,113 | $38.04 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $85,505 | $41.11 |
| 9 | New York | $92,059 | $44.26 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $81,264 | $39.07 |
| 11 | Montana | $70,703 | $33.99 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $84,171 | $40.47 |
| 13 | Arkansas | $71,553 | $34.40 |
| 14 | Alaska | $78,157 | $37.58 |
| 15 | California | $81,397 | $39.13 |
| 16 | Virginia | $82,212 | $39.52 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $67,371 | $32.39 |
| 18 | Tennessee | $67,232 | $32.32 |
| 19 | Texas | $76,350 | $36.71 |
| 20 | Iowa | $68,348 | $32.86 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $71,428 | $34.34 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $66,130 | $31.79 |
| 23 | Nevada | $68,548 | $32.96 |
| 24 | Maryland | $79,512 | $38.23 |
| 25 | Indiana | $65,771 | $31.62 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $63,957 | $30.75 |
| 27 | Illinois | $71,167 | $34.21 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $68,106 | $32.74 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $63,515 | $30.54 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $71,867 | $34.55 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $64,379 | $30.95 |
| 32 | Arizona | $62,038 | $29.83 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $75,623 | $36.36 |
| 34 | Georgia | $63,647 | $30.60 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $64,964 | $31.23 |
| 36 | Florida | $62,918 | $30.25 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $60,731 | $29.20 |
| 38 | Maine | $67,801 | $32.60 |
| 39 | Idaho | $65,055 | $31.28 |
| 40 | Vermont | $64,695 | $31.10 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $62,611 | $30.10 |
| 42 | Kansas | $56,343 | $27.09 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $48,915 | $23.52 |
| 44 | Colorado | $62,337 | $29.97 |
| 45 | Missouri | $52,528 | $25.25 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $56,241 | $27.04 |
| 47 | Alabama | $55,633 | $26.75 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $49,307 | $23.71 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $58,100 | $27.93 |
| 50 | Utah | $52,669 | $25.32 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $48,742 | $23.43 |
Highest paying cities for research and development specialists
The highest-paying cities for research and development specialists are Santa Rosa, CA, New York, NY, and Cary, NC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Rosa, CA | $92,671 | $44.55 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $92,335 | $44.39 |
| 3 | Cary, NC | $87,613 | $42.12 |
| 4 | Arlington, VA | $83,221 | $40.01 |
| 5 | Midland, MI | $81,541 | $39.20 |
| 6 | Union City, NJ | $81,127 | $39.00 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $79,396 | $38.17 |
| 8 | Galveston, TX | $77,215 | $37.12 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $71,761 | $34.50 |
| 10 | Boston, MA | $71,725 | $34.48 |
| 11 | Knoxville, TN | $70,146 | $33.72 |
| 12 | Johnston, RI | $68,066 | $32.72 |
| 13 | Indianapolis, IN | $65,492 | $31.49 |
| 14 | Sarasota, FL | $63,879 | $30.71 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $63,360 | $30.46 |
| 16 | Salt Lake City, UT | $52,347 | $25.17 |
| 17 | Kansas City, MO | $52,140 | $25.07 |
Research and development specialist salary details
A research and development specialist's salary ranges from $47,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $115,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a research and development specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $115,000 | $9,583 | $55 |
| 75th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| Average | $74,263 | $6,189 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| 10th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
Highest paying research and development specialist jobs
The highest paying types of research and development specialists are research and development manager, research director, and research leader.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Coordinator | $48,326 | $4,027 | $23.23 | 91,281 |
| Marketing Internship | $30,260 | $2,522 | $14.55 | 122,135 |
| Research Manager | $82,894 | $6,908 | $39.85 | 48,867 |
| Research Leader | $107,345 | $8,945 | $51.61 | 77,051 |
| Research Internship | $39,573 | $3,298 | $19.03 | 95,123 |
| Research Director | $108,875 | $9,073 | $52.34 | 51,298 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for research and development specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Rowan University
Top companies hiring research and development specialists now:
Which companies pay research and development specialists the most?
Research and development specialist salaries at Chevron and BP America Inc are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average research and development specialist salary at companies like VMware and Parsons are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevron | $138,411 | $66.54 |
| 2 | BP America Inc | $135,392 | $65.09 |
| 3 | VMware | $132,505 | $63.70 |
| 4 | Parsons | $125,369 | $60.27 |
| 5 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $120,270 | $57.82 |
| 6 | Sandia National Labs | $119,710 | $57.55 |
| 7 | SAS Institute | $119,475 | $57.44 |
| 8 | BD | $119,206 | $57.31 |
| 9 | Bayer | $116,837 | $56.17 |
| 10 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $110,160 | $52.96 |
| 11 | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | $109,366 | $52.58 |
| 12 | The NPD Group | $109,038 | $52.42 |
| 13 | Check Point Software Technologies | $108,278 | $52.06 |
| 14 | Medline | $107,052 | $51.47 |
| 15 | Johnson & Johnson | $106,790 | $51.34 |
| 16 | Regeneron | $104,010 | $50.00 |
| 17 | The Dow Chemical Company | $103,433 | $49.73 |
| 18 | Milliman | $102,366 | $49.21 |
| 19 | Albemarle | $101,783 | $48.93 |
| 20 | Nokia | $99,425 | $47.80 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Research and development specialist salary trends
The average research and development specialist salary has risen by $6,274 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average research and development specialist earned $67,989 annually, but today, they earn $74,263 a year. That works out to a 5% change in pay for research and development specialists over the last decade.
Compare research and development specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average research and development specialist salary over time
Compare research and development specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Research and development specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $74,300 | $35.70 | +3.1% |
| 2025 | $72,000 | $34.61 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | $71,200 | $34.24 | -0.2% |
| 2023 | $71,400 | $34.30 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $70,600 | $33.94 | +0.7% |
Recently added research and development specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Chicago | Research Specialist 2, Immunology and Adjuvant Development | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $55,896 |
| Save Mart Supermarkets | Dept Specialist Produce (Floral)-1504 Howard RD., Madera, CA 93637 | Madera, CA | 06/26/2025 | $34,957 |
| University of Nebraska Medical Center | Research Development Specialist | Omaha, NE | 06/26/2025 | $60,500 |
| Cyberark Software, Ltd. | IT R&D Applications Specialist | Newton, MA | 06/23/2025 | $85,000 |
| The University of Chicago | Research Specialist 2, Immunology and Adjuvant Development | Chicago, IL | 05/27/2025 | $55,896 |
| Parker-Hannifin, Corporation | NPI/R&D Purchasing Specialist | Clyde, NY | 05/26/2025 | $74,511 |
| Noblis | Environmental R&D Specialist | Indianapolis, IN | 05/23/2025 | $77,000 |
| Noblis | Environmental R&D Specialist | Trenton, NJ | 05/23/2025 | $77,000 |
| Noblis | Environmental R&D Specialist | Pierre, SD | 05/23/2025 | $77,000 |
| Noblis | Environmental R&D Specialist | Boston, MA | 05/23/2025 | $77,000 |
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