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Scientific director salary
Average scientific director salary
$116,045
Average Scientific Director Salary
The average salary for a Scientific Director in the United States is $116,045 per year. This figure represents a significant income, reflecting the expertise and responsibilities associated with the role. Salaries can vary widely based on factors such as geographic location, industry, and years of experience.
Highest Paying States
Scientific Directors in states such as California and New York tend to earn the highest salaries, often exceeding the national average. These locations offer robust opportunities for professionals in research and development.
Industries with Competitive Salaries
High-paying industries for Scientific Directors include pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and healthcare. These sectors prioritize skilled leadership to drive innovation and ensure successful project outcomes.
Career Progression
For those aspiring to enter this field, focusing on advanced degrees and building experience through relevant positions can lead to lucrative opportunities. Networking within these industries can also provide insights into job openings and salary expectations.
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Where can a Scientific Director earn more?
Scientific director salary estimates from across the web
Average scientific director salary by state
The average scientific director salary in Tennessee, California, and Indiana are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average scientific director salary states are South Carolina, Missouri, and Utah.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for scientific directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $132,104 | $63.51 |
| 2 | Tennessee | $151,052 | $72.62 |
| 3 | Alaska | $128,742 | $61.90 |
| 4 | California | $136,659 | $65.70 |
| 5 | Montana | $128,826 | $61.94 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $129,276 | $62.15 |
| 7 | Indiana | $134,519 | $64.67 |
| 8 | Maine | $127,287 | $61.20 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $125,706 | $60.44 |
| 10 | Delaware | $123,208 | $59.23 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $132,367 | $63.64 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $126,150 | $60.65 |
| 13 | Nevada | $120,433 | $57.90 |
| 14 | Illinois | $116,986 | $56.24 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $120,618 | $57.99 |
| 16 | Maryland | $123,166 | $59.21 |
| 17 | Vermont | $109,001 | $52.40 |
| 18 | Washington | $115,059 | $55.32 |
| 19 | Oregon | $111,816 | $53.76 |
| 20 | Arkansas | $99,599 | $47.88 |
| 21 | Arizona | $118,656 | $57.05 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $108,141 | $51.99 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $99,837 | $48.00 |
| 24 | New York | $112,317 | $54.00 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $108,823 | $52.32 |
| 26 | Ohio | $106,409 | $51.16 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $95,528 | $45.93 |
| 28 | Michigan | $110,399 | $53.08 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $98,225 | $47.22 |
| 30 | Alabama | $95,760 | $46.04 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $101,826 | $48.95 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $104,771 | $50.37 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $100,012 | $48.08 |
| 34 | Virginia | $108,258 | $52.05 |
| 35 | Colorado | $98,945 | $47.57 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $91,022 | $43.76 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $87,181 | $41.91 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $93,380 | $44.89 |
| 39 | Georgia | $101,320 | $48.71 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $81,902 | $39.38 |
| 41 | Texas | $92,565 | $44.50 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $92,365 | $44.41 |
| 43 | Iowa | $73,529 | $35.35 |
| 44 | Florida | $94,036 | $45.21 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $92,720 | $44.58 |
| 46 | Kansas | $87,190 | $41.92 |
| 47 | Idaho | $88,192 | $42.40 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $73,404 | $35.29 |
| 49 | Utah | $82,213 | $39.53 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $83,688 | $40.23 |
| 51 | Missouri | $83,229 | $40.01 |
Highest paying cities for scientific directors
The highest-paying cities for scientific directors are Sacramento, CA, Indianapolis, IN, and Paramus, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $145,021 | $69.72 |
| 2 | Indianapolis, IN | $136,136 | $65.45 |
| 3 | Paramus, NJ | $134,174 | $64.51 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $130,964 | $62.96 |
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN | $127,730 | $61.41 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $127,037 | $61.08 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $124,213 | $59.72 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $121,316 | $58.33 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $118,251 | $56.85 |
| 10 | Tucson, AZ | $116,293 | $55.91 |
| 11 | Seattle, WA | $116,075 | $55.81 |
| 12 | New York, NY | $112,782 | $54.22 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $111,654 | $53.68 |
| 14 | Detroit, MI | $110,781 | $53.26 |
| 15 | Arlington, VA | $109,445 | $52.62 |
| 16 | Akron, OH | $107,945 | $51.90 |
| 17 | Madison, WI | $104,302 | $50.15 |
| 18 | Durham, NC | $100,864 | $48.49 |
| 19 | Jacksonville, FL | $99,174 | $47.68 |
| 20 | Austin, TX | $92,325 | $44.39 |
Scientific director salary details
A scientific director's salary ranges from $73,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $183,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a scientific director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $183,000 | $15,250 | $88 |
| 75th Percentile | $147,000 | $12,250 | $71 |
| Average | $116,045 | $9,670 | $56 |
| 25th Percentile | $91,000 | $7,583 | $44 |
| 10th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
Highest paying scientific director jobs
The highest paying types of scientific directors are medical science liaison, principal scientist, and senior scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fellow | $66,364 | $5,530 | $31.91 | 7,459 |
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| PHD Researcher | $51,634 | $4,303 | $24.82 | 19,736 |
| Laboratory Researcher | $27,760 | $2,313 | $13.35 | 57,359 |
| Researcher | $67,145 | $5,595 | $32.28 | 30,498 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar | $57,587 | $4,799 | $27.69 | 18,983 |
Top companies hiring scientific directors now:
Which companies pay scientific directors the most?
Scientific director salaries at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Seagen are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average scientific director salary at companies like Moderna and Allergan plc are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | $165,158 | $79.40 |
| 2 | Seagen | $133,543 | $64.20 |
| 3 | Moderna | $131,947 | $63.44 |
| 4 | Allergan plc | $131,688 | $63.31 |
| 5 | Regeneron | $131,603 | $63.27 |
| 6 | Incyte | $130,942 | $62.95 |
| 7 | Amgen | $129,867 | $62.44 |
| 8 | United Therapeutics | $129,728 | $62.37 |
| 9 | Critical Path Institute | $129,296 | $62.16 |
| 10 | Eli Lilly and Company | $126,538 | $60.84 |
| 11 | Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | $126,168 | $60.66 |
| 12 | Johns Hopkins University | $126,008 | $60.58 |
| 13 | AbbVie | $125,828 | $60.49 |
| 14 | Sanofi US | $124,878 | $60.04 |
| 15 | PRWeek | $124,679 | $59.94 |
| 16 | Merck | $124,621 | $59.91 |
| 17 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $124,177 | $59.70 |
| 18 | Horizon Pharma USA, Inc. | $121,452 | $58.39 |
| 19 | University of Pittsburgh | $120,518 | $57.94 |
| 20 | Akron Children's Hospital | $120,413 | $57.89 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Scientific Director salary by industry
The average scientific director salary varies across industries:
- The average scientific director salary in the pharmaceutical industry is $118,962, the highest of any industry.
- The average scientific director salary in the finance industry is $105,316.
- Scientific directors in the professional industry earn an average salary of $98,633, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for scientific directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pharmaceutical | $118,962 | $57.19 |
| 2 | Media | $105,316 | $50.63 |
| 3 | Health Care | $105,254 | $50.60 |
| 4 | Professional | $98,633 | $47.42 |
High paying scientific director jobs
Scientific director salary trends
The average scientific director salary has risen by $19,504 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average scientific director earned $96,541 annually, but today, they earn $116,045 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for scientific directors over the last decade.
Compare scientific director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average scientific director salary over time
Compare scientific director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Scientific director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $116,000 | $55.79 | +3.0% |
| 2025 | $113,000 | $54.13 | +4.5% |
| 2024 | $108,000 | $51.71 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $104,000 | $50.05 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $102,000 | $49.10 | -2.1% |
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