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The average salary for a Systems Director in the United States as of October 2025 is $136,676 per year. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the sector of employment. For example, systems directors in technology-focused industries often command higher salaries due to the specialized skills required.
States like California and New York typically offer the highest salaries for systems directors, with averages exceeding $150,000 annually. Additionally, metropolitan areas with a high cost of living tend to have more competitive salary packages.
Over recent years, the demand for systems directors has increased, resulting in gradual salary growth. Understanding these trends can help job seekers negotiate better compensation packages. By researching industry standards and regional salary data, candidates can make informed decisions about their career paths.
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The average systems director salary in California, Alaska, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average systems director salary states are Florida, South Dakota, and Minnesota.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $154,180 | $74.13 |
| 2 | Oregon | $149,027 | $71.65 |
| 3 | Alaska | $154,767 | $74.41 |
| 4 | Nevada | $144,393 | $69.42 |
| 5 | New York | $141,953 | $68.25 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $139,656 | $67.14 |
| 7 | Michigan | $137,985 | $66.34 |
| 8 | Alabama | $135,653 | $65.22 |
| 9 | California | $159,375 | $76.62 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $133,807 | $64.33 |
| 11 | Idaho | $132,405 | $63.66 |
| 12 | Utah | $141,580 | $68.07 |
| 13 | Arizona | $126,187 | $60.67 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $138,223 | $66.45 |
| 15 | Vermont | $124,674 | $59.94 |
| 16 | South Carolina | $130,132 | $62.56 |
| 17 | Ohio | $126,071 | $60.61 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $126,142 | $60.65 |
| 19 | Georgia | $127,211 | $61.16 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $127,572 | $61.33 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $122,356 | $58.83 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $118,731 | $57.08 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $121,402 | $58.37 |
| 24 | Indiana | $127,749 | $61.42 |
| 25 | Delaware | $126,452 | $60.79 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $124,113 | $59.67 |
| 27 | Illinois | $123,975 | $59.60 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $118,235 | $56.84 |
| 29 | Iowa | $121,800 | $58.56 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $122,175 | $58.74 |
| 31 | District of Columbia | $121,676 | $58.50 |
| 32 | Montana | $119,304 | $57.36 |
| 33 | Maryland | $132,323 | $63.62 |
| 34 | Texas | $117,882 | $56.67 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $116,718 | $56.11 |
| 36 | New Hampshire | $118,528 | $56.98 |
| 37 | Virginia | $128,965 | $62.00 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $111,080 | $53.40 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $116,342 | $55.93 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $115,754 | $55.65 |
| 41 | Colorado | $122,208 | $58.75 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $100,872 | $48.50 |
| 43 | Maine | $114,987 | $55.28 |
| 44 | Missouri | $114,162 | $54.89 |
| 45 | Kansas | $112,881 | $54.27 |
| 46 | Florida | $109,232 | $52.52 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $102,792 | $49.42 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $108,191 | $52.01 |
| 49 | Minnesota | $107,053 | $51.47 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $111,656 | $53.68 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $104,825 | $50.40 |
The highest-paying cities for systems directors are San Francisco, CA, Vancouver, WA, and Hillsboro, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $171,868 | $82.63 |
| 2 | Vancouver, WA | $159,244 | $76.56 |
| 3 | Hillsboro, OR | $150,623 | $72.41 |
| 4 | Ithaca, NY | $142,189 | $68.36 |
| 5 | Jersey City, NJ | $139,999 | $67.31 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $138,398 | $66.54 |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | $127,394 | $61.25 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $126,913 | $61.02 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $126,400 | $60.77 |
| 10 | Dayton, OH | $124,985 | $60.09 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $124,449 | $59.83 |
| 12 | Englewood, CO | $122,211 | $58.76 |
| 13 | Washington, DC | $121,740 | $58.53 |
| 14 | Grapevine, TX | $118,676 | $57.06 |
| 15 | Durham, NC | $117,700 | $56.59 |
| 16 | Little Rock, AR | $116,474 | $56.00 |
| 17 | Omaha, NE | $116,411 | $55.97 |
| 18 | Jacksonville, FL | $113,401 | $54.52 |
| 19 | New Orleans, LA | $110,722 | $53.23 |
| 20 | Saint Paul, MN | $107,167 | $51.52 |
A systems director's salary ranges from $98,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $189,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $189,000 | $15,750 | $91 |
| 75th Percentile | $162,000 | $13,500 | $78 |
| Average | $136,676 | $11,390 | $66 |
| 25th Percentile | $115,000 | $9,583 | $55 |
| 10th Percentile | $98,000 | $8,167 | $47 |
The highest paying types of systems directors are director of software development, senior director, and chief information officer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Information Officer | $146,907 | $12,242 | $70.63 | 124,678 |
| Director Of Technology And Services | $126,814 | $10,568 | $60.97 | 129,174 |
| Director Of Information Management | $135,276 | $11,273 | $65.04 | 134,762 |
| Director Of Software Development | $158,853 | $13,238 | $76.37 | 136,310 |
| Information Technology Systems Manager | $130,526 | $10,877 | $62.75 | 156,656 |
| Director Of Business Operations | $111,945 | $9,329 | $53.82 | 202,032 |
Top companies hiring systems directors now:
Systems director salaries at Holland & Knight and Fairview Health Services are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average systems director salary at companies like Mercy Corps and Zoox are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Holland & Knight | $183,953 | $88.44 |
| 2 | Fairview Health Services | $182,843 | $87.91 |
| 3 | Mercy Corps | $175,894 | $84.56 |
| 4 | Zoox | $166,025 | $79.82 |
| 5 | Genentech | $164,122 | $78.90 |
| 6 | Allegheny Health Network | $158,588 | $76.24 |
| 7 | Riot Games | $158,058 | $75.99 |
| 8 | PIH Health | $155,455 | $74.74 |
| 9 | Lowell General Hospital | $155,380 | $74.70 |
| 10 | UCI Health | $154,949 | $74.49 |
| 11 | Radial | $154,881 | $74.46 |
| 12 | Constellation Brands | $154,310 | $74.19 |
| 13 | Intel | $153,040 | $73.58 |
| 14 | Pwc | $152,788 | $73.46 |
| 15 | Nikola Motor | $150,495 | $72.35 |
| 16 | Naughty Dog | $150,175 | $72.20 |
| 17 | Amazon | $149,849 | $72.04 |
| 18 | Wickr | $148,546 | $71.42 |
| 19 | ViacomCBS | $147,900 | $71.11 |
| 20 | Arnot Health | $145,025 | $69.72 |
The average systems director salary has risen by $29,966 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average systems director earned $106,710 annually, but today, they earn $136,676 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for systems directors over the last decade.
Compare systems director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare systems director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $137,000 | $65.71 | +3.2% |
| 2025 | $132,000 | $63.63 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $129,000 | $61.96 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $126,000 | $60.52 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $123,000 | $59.04 | +3.1% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altasciences Co | Director, ERP Financial Systems | Everett, WA | 06/29/2025 | $160,000 |
| Lee Health | System Director Practice Operations-Lee Physician's Group | Fort Myers, FL | 06/28/2025 | $128,225 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Dietitian Required-Systems Director of Dining | Modesto, CA | 06/26/2025 | $125,000 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Systems DIR II | League City, TX | 06/25/2025 | $105,000 |
| Harlem Childrens Zone | Director of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (Mtss) | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $140,000 |
| SEIU-ESF | Data Systems Director | Northampton, MA | 06/21/2025 | $102,293 |
| The Pennsylvania State University | Director of Strategic Projects, Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Telehealth (Safe-T) System | University Park, FL | 06/19/2025 | $86,300 |
| The University of Alabama | Research Systems Director | Tuscaloosa, AL | 06/18/2025 | $101,900 |
| Commonspirit Health | System Director Labor Optimization | Englewood, CO | 06/18/2025 | $136,970 |
| Veralto | Veralto Enterprise System Director, Tracegains | Waltham, MA | 06/14/2025 | $160,000 |
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