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A Residential Program Director typically earns an average salary of $51,085 annually. Salary ranges can vary based on geographical location, years of experience, and the specific industry. For example, states such as California and New York often report higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. Entry-level positions may start lower, around $40,000, while experienced directors can earn upwards of $70,000.
Overall, pursuing a career as a Residential Program Director not only offers the chance to make a meaningful impact but also provides opportunities for growth and financial stability.
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The highest-paying states for residential program directors are New York, California, and Georgia. The lowest average residential program director salary states are Hawaii, South Carolina, and Utah.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $79,146 | $38.05 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $70,427 | $33.86 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $58,974 | $28.35 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $53,240 | $25.60 |
| 5 | Georgia | $59,301 | $28.51 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $46,921 | $22.56 |
| 7 | Delaware | $48,516 | $23.32 |
| 8 | Colorado | $48,656 | $23.39 |
| 9 | California | $65,109 | $31.30 |
| 10 | Wyoming | $43,534 | $20.93 |
| 11 | Washington | $54,812 | $26.35 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $51,866 | $24.94 |
| 13 | Nevada | $48,825 | $23.47 |
| 14 | Texas | $45,728 | $21.98 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $45,763 | $22.00 |
| 16 | Michigan | $44,319 | $21.31 |
| 17 | Alabama | $41,646 | $20.02 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $44,390 | $21.34 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $42,610 | $20.49 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $40,699 | $19.57 |
| 21 | Montana | $41,840 | $20.12 |
| 22 | Illinois | $44,474 | $21.38 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $42,222 | $20.30 |
| 24 | Maryland | $50,329 | $24.20 |
| 25 | Idaho | $42,539 | $20.45 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $44,768 | $21.52 |
| 27 | Alaska | $48,057 | $23.10 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $40,121 | $19.29 |
| 29 | Florida | $42,045 | $20.21 |
| 30 | Ohio | $41,829 | $20.11 |
| 31 | Vermont | $44,559 | $21.42 |
| 32 | Arizona | $39,577 | $19.03 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $37,089 | $17.83 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $39,705 | $19.09 |
| 35 | Maine | $38,889 | $18.70 |
| 36 | Indiana | $40,252 | $19.35 |
| 37 | Kansas | $39,277 | $18.88 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $35,106 | $16.88 |
| 39 | Missouri | $40,345 | $19.40 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $38,509 | $18.51 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $37,697 | $18.12 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $32,248 | $15.50 |
| 43 | Virginia | $40,365 | $19.41 |
| 44 | Oregon | $36,520 | $17.56 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $39,051 | $18.77 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $35,385 | $17.01 |
| 47 | Utah | $33,572 | $16.14 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $32,962 | $15.85 |
| 49 | Iowa | $36,048 | $17.33 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $33,714 | $16.21 |
| 51 | Wisconsin | $31,851 | $15.31 |
The highest-paying cities for residential program directors are New York, NY, Washington, DC, and Berkeley, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $79,446 | $38.20 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $70,479 | $33.88 |
| 3 | Berkeley, CA | $68,238 | $32.81 |
| 4 | Vineland, NJ | $58,625 | $28.19 |
| 5 | Barnstable Town, MA | $53,110 | $25.53 |
| 6 | Las Vegas, NV | $48,748 | $23.44 |
| 7 | Colorado Springs, CO | $48,614 | $23.37 |
| 8 | Brownsville, TX | $46,236 | $22.23 |
| 9 | Portland, ME | $39,504 | $18.99 |
A residential program director's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $70,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| 75th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| Average | $51,085 | $4,257 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
The highest paying types of residential program directors are director, senior program officer, and director of senior programs.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director Of After School Program | $49,648 | $4,137 | $23.87 | 94,858 |
| Program Manager | $96,084 | $8,007 | $46.19 | 197,556 |
| Director | $113,489 | $9,457 | $54.56 | 230,711 |
| Sports Director | $61,211 | $5,101 | $29.43 | 13,106 |
| Director Of Program Development | $69,014 | $5,751 | $33.18 | 131,077 |
| Program Supervisor | $45,460 | $3,788 | $21.86 | 65,551 |
Top companies hiring residential program directors now:
Residential program director salaries at IDEA Public Schools and Minnesota State Fair are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average residential program director salary at companies like Georgetown University and Odyssey House Louisiana are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IDEA Public Schools | $62,771 | $30.18 |
| 2 | Minnesota State Fair | $57,389 | $27.59 |
| 3 | Georgetown University | $55,697 | $26.78 |
| 4 | Odyssey House Louisiana | $54,076 | $26.00 |
| 5 | The Opportunity Alliance | $52,418 | $25.20 |
| 6 | Westcare Health Corporation | $49,429 | $23.76 |
| 7 | University Of Minnesota Physicians | $48,526 | $23.33 |
| 8 | Hope House | $48,412 | $23.27 |
| 9 | Cumberland County Guidance Center | $47,773 | $22.97 |
| 10 | Sheltering Arms | $47,468 | $22.82 |
| 11 | PathPoint | $47,391 | $22.78 |
| 12 | Bonita House | $46,650 | $22.43 |
| 13 | Vinfen | $46,504 | $22.36 |
| 14 | St. PJ's Children’s Home | $45,619 | $21.93 |
| 15 | Advocates | $45,454 | $21.85 |
| 16 | National Mentor Holdings Inc. | $44,194 | $21.25 |
| 17 | YAI | $43,433 | $20.88 |
| 18 | The Edinburg Center | $43,423 | $20.88 |
| 19 | Pediatric Partners, now a member of the Sevita family | $36,619 | $17.61 |
The average residential program director salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $64,343 | $30.93 |
| 2 | Education | $53,403 | $25.67 |
| 3 | Professional | $48,214 | $23.18 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $46,914 | $22.55 |
| 5 | Government | $46,048 | $22.14 |
The average residential program director salary has risen by $3,838 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average residential program director earned $47,247 annually, but today, they earn $51,085 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for residential program directors over the last decade.
Compare residential program director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare residential program director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $51,100 | $24.56 | +2.6% |
| 2025 | $49,800 | $23.92 | +3.7% |
| 2024 | $47,900 | $23.04 | +0.1% |
| 2023 | $47,900 | $23.02 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | $47,400 | $22.81 | +3.5% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy Treatment Services Group | Adolescent Residential Services Program Director | Gloucester, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $62,000 |
| Chippewachamber | Residential Program Director Retention Bonus | Milwaukee, WI | 06/23/2025 | $54,100 |
| Venture Community Services | Residential Program Director | Sturbridge, MA | 06/21/2025 | $60,000 |
| Dungarvin, Inc. | Residential Program Director Retention Bonus | Milwaukee, WI | 06/20/2025 | $54,100 |
| Children's Home Society of South Dakota | Residential Program Director | Sioux Falls, SD | 06/18/2025 | $89,170 |
| Odyssey House Inc. | Director of Residential Treatment Program (Oasas) | New York, NY | 06/16/2025 | $90,000 |
| Center for Discovery | Program Director-Eating Disorder, Residential | Del Mar, CA | 06/13/2025 | $95,000 |
| Hocking Technical College | Academic Program Director, Commercial and Residential Electricity | Nelsonville, OH | 06/13/2025 | $60,000 |
| Northeast Arc | Residential Program Director | Danvers, MA | 06/12/2025 | $65,741 |
| Helio Health | Program Director-Green Street Residential Reintegration Program | Syracuse, NY | 06/10/2025 | $64,000 |
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