Post job

Youth program director salary

Average youth program director salary

$16.81

$34,971 yearly

Entry-level youth program director salary
$23,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding Youth Program Director Salary

The average salary for a Youth Program Director is approximately $34,971 annually. This figure can fluctuate based on several factors, including experience, location, and the type of organization. For instance, professionals in urban areas or those employed by large nonprofits often earn higher salaries due to increased demand and funding.

Where Can Youth Program Directors Earn More?

States like California and New York typically offer higher pay scales for Youth Program Directors. Understanding these geographic trends can help job seekers target their applications effectively. Additionally, gaining experience in specialized areas, such as program development or fundraising, can enhance salary prospects.

Career Advancement Opportunities

For those looking to advance in their careers, pursuing further education or certifications related to youth development can be beneficial. This not only increases job competitiveness but can also lead to higher positions within organizations, such as program manager or director of operations.

On this page
Youth program director salary by: 

Let Zippia find your next youth program director job

Floating question marks illustration

Let Zippia find your next youth program director job

Floating question marks illustration

Where can a Youth Program Director earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
95k
75k
55k
35k
15k
-5k
Columbus, OH$66,109
Myrtle Beach, SC$24,726
Compare salary by company
Vs
62k
42k
22k
2k
Los Angeles County Museum of Art$51,655
Skyhawks Sports Academy$32,307

Youth program director salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Salary.com, Glassdoor, Ziprecruiter and Comparably, the average salary for a youth program director typically falls between $34,971 and $80,271.
zippia
$34,971yearly
glassdoor[1]
$80,271yearly
comparably[2]
$44,817yearly
Salary.com[3]
$47,306yearly
ZipRecruiter[4]
$54,135yearly

Average youth program director salary by state

The average youth program director salary in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average youth program director salary states are South Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for youth program directors

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1New York$65,975$31.72
2Connecticut$52,533$25.26
3New Jersey$43,702$21.01
4New Hampshire$41,041$19.73
5Rhode Island$38,055$18.30
6South Dakota$30,870$14.84
7Massachusetts$45,794$22.02
8Georgia$35,029$16.84
9Colorado$33,622$16.16
10Texas$32,889$15.81
11Delaware$36,748$17.67
12California$43,542$20.93
13Alabama$29,986$14.42
14Maryland$40,721$19.58
15District of Columbia$41,147$19.78
16Nevada$32,743$15.74
17Oklahoma$29,206$14.04
18Maine$35,487$17.06
19Montana$30,505$14.67
20Vermont$38,672$18.59
21North Carolina$32,253$15.51
22Pennsylvania$35,057$16.85
23Idaho$30,321$14.58
24North Dakota$28,718$13.81
25Alaska$32,519$15.63
26New Mexico$29,915$14.38
27Washington$33,884$16.29
28Wyoming$31,235$15.02
29West Virginia$29,047$13.96
30Minnesota$29,221$14.05
31Virginia$33,736$16.22
32Mississippi$26,580$12.78
33Florida$29,492$14.18
34Louisiana$26,774$12.87
35Arizona$27,852$13.39
36Tennessee$27,913$13.42
37Illinois$28,107$13.51
38Missouri$29,300$14.09
39Iowa$26,288$12.64
40Kansas$28,347$13.63
41Michigan$27,532$13.24
42Indiana$27,832$13.38
43Oregon$25,863$12.43
44Arkansas$23,798$11.44
45Kentucky$27,421$13.18
46Nebraska$25,680$12.35
47Hawaii$23,357$11.23
48Utah$23,868$11.47
49Wisconsin$24,304$11.68
50Ohio$24,319$11.69
51South Carolina$24,480$11.77

Highest paying cities for youth program directors

The highest-paying cities for youth program directors are New York, NY, Norwalk, CT, and New Bedford, MA.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1New York, NY$66,109$31.78
2Norwalk, CT$52,216$25.10
3New Bedford, MA$46,496$22.35
4Oakland, CA$45,138$21.70
5Mount Laurel, NJ$42,426$20.40
6Washington, DC$41,161$19.79
7Providence, RI$38,063$18.30
8Allentown, PA$35,897$17.26
9Atlanta, GA$35,061$16.86
10Seattle, WA$34,061$16.38
11Fort Collins, CO$33,693$16.20
12Austin, TX$33,001$15.87
13Clearwater, FL$29,560$14.21
14Saint Louis, MO$29,483$14.17
15Saint Paul, MN$29,239$14.06
16Fargo, ND$28,759$13.83
17Flagstaff, AZ$27,733$13.33
18Ridgeland, MS$26,574$12.78
19Lincoln, NE$25,633$12.32
20Myrtle Beach, SC$24,726$11.89

Youth program director salary details

A youth program director's salary ranges from $23,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $52,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average youth program director salary graph
Average youth program director salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a youth program director's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$52,000$4,333$25
75th Percentile$43,000$3,583$21
Average$34,971$2,914$17
25th Percentile$28,000$2,333$13
10th Percentile$23,000$1,917$11

Highest paying youth program director jobs

The highest paying types of youth program directors are director, deputy program director, and senior program officer.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Director Of After School Program$49,648$4,137$23.8794,858
Director Of Program Development$69,014$5,751$33.18131,077
Director$113,489$9,457$54.56230,711
Program Supervisor$45,460$3,788$21.8665,551
Sports Director$61,211$5,101$29.4313,106
Youth Program Manager$53,856$4,488$25.8989,576

Top companies hiring youth program directors now:

  1. Norwegian Cruise Line jobs (2)
  2. Dream Center jobs (2)
  3. Galileo jobs (5)
  4. Neighborhood House jobs (3)
  5. American Red Cross jobs (3)

Which companies pay youth program directors the most?

Youth program director salaries at Los Angeles County Museum of Art and City Of Norwalk, Connecticut are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average youth program director salary at companies like Quad and Dignity Health are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Los Angeles County Museum of Art$51,655$24.83
2City Of Norwalk, Connecticut$38,142$18.34
3Quad$36,720$17.65
4Dignity Health$35,781$17.20
5LifeWorks$35,089$16.87
6The Home For Little Wanderers$34,771$16.72
7Aspiranet$34,295$16.49
8University of Georgia Small Business Development Center$34,261$16.47
9Texas Department of Transportation$33,734$16.22
10United Way of Greater Lafayette$33,669$16.19
11Galileo$32,989$15.86
12Town Sports International Holdings$32,950$15.84
13YMCA$32,863$15.80
14Rbscc$32,852$15.79
15Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa$32,824$15.78
16Ymca Of Metropolitan Atlanta$32,821$15.78
17Americorps$32,789$15.76
18Mercer Island Country Club$32,742$15.74
19Genesis Health Clubs$32,677$15.71
20Skyhawks Sports Academy$32,307$15.53

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$35,000$34,800$34,600$34,400$34,200$34,000
MaleFemale

Youth program director salary trends

The average youth program director salary has risen by $2,627 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average youth program director earned $32,344 annually, but today, they earn $34,971 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for youth program directors over the last decade.

Compare youth program director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average youth program director salary over time

Compare youth program director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Youth program director salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2026$35,000$16.81+2.6%
2025$34,100$16.38+3.7%
2024$32,800$15.77+0.1%
2023$32,800$15.76+0.9%
2022$32,500$15.61+3.5%

Recently added youth program director salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
YMCA of The SuncoastYouth Development Program Management Director-Hernando School AGE ProgramsSpring Hill, FL06/24/2025$44,500
Department of The Air ForceYouth Programs DirectorEdwards Air Force Base, CA06/22/2025$73,045
Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, Inc.Youth Program DirectorNew York, NY06/10/2025$60,000
Harris County (TxLibrarian I-Youth Programming (South Houston Branch Library)Houston, TX06/06/2025$51,987
Wenatchee School DistrictYouth Development Staff-After School Programs @ Multiple LocationsWenatchee, WA05/28/2025$34,769
YMCA of The SuncoastA Youth Development Program Management Director-Pinellas/Pasco School AGE ProgramsClearwater, FL05/25/2025$44,500
Health Fitness CorporationYouth Program Staff (Seasonal)Bethel, AK05/13/2025$37,566
Ymca of FoothillsProgram Director-Youth and TeensLos Angeles, CA05/09/2025$66,560
HealthfitnessYouth Program Staff (Seasonal)Bethel, AK05/08/2025$37,566
Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast OhioSummer Youth Program StaffEnon, OH05/07/2025$35,479

Youth program director salary FAQs

Search for youth program director jobs

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs