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Vice president of research and development salary
Average vice president of research and development salary
$170,226
Understanding Vice President of Research and Development Salaries
The average salary for a Vice President of Research and Development in the United States is approximately $170,226 per year. This figure can fluctuate based on several factors, including the individual's experience, the specific industry sector, and the state in which they are employed. For example, states such as California and New York often report higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for innovation-driven roles.
Experience plays a significant role in salary determination. Entry-level positions may start lower, but as professionals gain expertise and move into leadership roles, their compensation can increase substantially. Additionally, the type of industry—ranging from pharmaceuticals to technology—also impacts salary potential.
Highest Paying States for Vice Presidents
Research indicates that states like California, Massachusetts, and Washington offer some of the highest salaries for this position. These locations are often home to major corporations and startups focused on cutting-edge research and development, creating competitive compensation packages to attract top talent.
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Where can a Vice President Of Research And Development earn more?
Vice president of research and development salaries by experience level
Vice president of research and development salary estimates from across the web
Average vice president of research and development salary by state
The highest-paying states for vice presidents of research and development are Washington, Alaska, and Connecticut. The lowest average vice president of research and development salary states are Iowa, Kentucky, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for vice presidents of research and development
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $169,225 | $81.36 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $165,146 | $79.40 |
| 3 | Oregon | $173,964 | $83.64 |
| 4 | Nevada | $172,653 | $83.01 |
| 5 | Alaska | $176,417 | $84.82 |
| 6 | Arizona | $157,131 | $75.54 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $175,908 | $84.57 |
| 8 | Texas | $153,293 | $73.70 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $170,653 | $82.04 |
| 10 | Tennessee | $150,358 | $72.29 |
| 11 | Washington | $192,119 | $92.36 |
| 12 | California | $169,700 | $81.59 |
| 13 | Michigan | $150,399 | $72.31 |
| 14 | South Dakota | $145,350 | $69.88 |
| 15 | Indiana | $148,436 | $71.36 |
| 16 | Idaho | $158,056 | $75.99 |
| 17 | Utah | $153,873 | $73.98 |
| 18 | Montana | $158,816 | $76.35 |
| 19 | Georgia | $145,553 | $69.98 |
| 20 | Maine | $153,335 | $73.72 |
| 21 | Oklahoma | $147,670 | $71.00 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $152,911 | $73.51 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $146,388 | $70.38 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $144,890 | $69.66 |
| 25 | Colorado | $149,398 | $71.83 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $139,215 | $66.93 |
| 27 | Ohio | $137,457 | $66.09 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $136,655 | $65.70 |
| 29 | Florida | $139,598 | $67.11 |
| 30 | Kansas | $138,868 | $66.76 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $137,507 | $66.11 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $138,705 | $66.69 |
| 33 | Massachusetts | $151,079 | $72.63 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $136,779 | $65.76 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $135,810 | $65.29 |
| 36 | Vermont | $141,360 | $67.96 |
| 37 | Virginia | $147,044 | $70.69 |
| 38 | New York | $150,707 | $72.46 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $128,698 | $61.87 |
| 40 | Alabama | $137,955 | $66.32 |
| 41 | Illinois | $140,235 | $67.42 |
| 42 | Delaware | $140,845 | $67.71 |
| 43 | Rhode Island | $135,181 | $64.99 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $129,164 | $62.10 |
| 45 | Missouri | $127,323 | $61.21 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $119,642 | $57.52 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $133,564 | $64.21 |
| 48 | Iowa | $129,792 | $62.40 |
| 49 | Maryland | $137,269 | $65.99 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $128,269 | $61.67 |
| 51 | District of Columbia | $132,557 | $63.73 |
Highest paying cities for vice presidents of research and development
The highest-paying cities for vice presidents of research and development are San Francisco, CA, Meriden, CT, and Las Vegas, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $181,029 | $87.03 |
| 2 | Meriden, CT | $180,473 | $86.77 |
| 3 | Las Vegas, NV | $179,496 | $86.30 |
| 4 | Blaine, MN | $172,246 | $82.81 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $167,887 | $80.71 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $161,747 | $77.76 |
| 7 | Irving, TX | $156,586 | $75.28 |
| 8 | Idaho Falls, ID | $153,594 | $73.84 |
| 9 | Burlington, MA | $152,487 | $73.31 |
| 10 | Detroit, MI | $151,674 | $72.92 |
| 11 | New York, NY | $151,427 | $72.80 |
| 12 | Fort Collins, CO | $150,590 | $72.40 |
| 13 | Arlington, VA | $148,726 | $71.50 |
| 14 | Atlanta, GA | $147,725 | $71.02 |
| 15 | Tampa, FL | $143,378 | $68.93 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $141,295 | $67.93 |
| 17 | Lincoln, NE | $140,056 | $67.33 |
| 18 | Huntsville, AL | $139,790 | $67.21 |
| 19 | Lenexa, KS | $139,568 | $67.10 |
| 20 | Madison, WI | $138,702 | $66.68 |
Vice president of research and development salary details
A vice president of research and development's salary ranges from $114,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $253,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a vice president of research and development's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $253,000 | $21,083 | $122 |
| 75th Percentile | $210,000 | $17,500 | $101 |
| Average | $170,226 | $14,186 | $82 |
| 25th Percentile | $137,000 | $11,417 | $66 |
| 10th Percentile | $114,000 | $9,500 | $55 |
Highest paying vice president of research and development jobs
The highest paying types of vice presidents of research and development are executive vice president, senior vice president, and president.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing Engineering Manager | $112,535 | $9,378 | $54.10 | 83,671 |
| Engineering Manager | $139,328 | $11,611 | $66.98 | 67,124 |
| Design Manager | $102,637 | $8,553 | $49.34 | 61,273 |
| Engineering Supervisor | $97,535 | $8,128 | $46.89 | 57,046 |
| Engineering Director | $162,252 | $13,521 | $78.01 | 63,868 |
| Project Engineering Manager | $110,534 | $9,211 | $53.14 | 171,897 |
Top companies hiring vice presidents of research and development now:
Which companies pay vice presidents of research and development the most?
Vice president of research and development salaries at Organon and BD are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average vice president of research and development salary at companies like AstraZeneca and Abbott are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Organon | $203,514 | $97.84 |
| 2 | BD | $195,386 | $93.94 |
| 3 | AstraZeneca | $194,681 | $93.60 |
| 4 | Abbott | $192,444 | $92.52 |
| 5 | Estée Lauder | $191,911 | $92.26 |
| 6 | Benefit Cosmetics | $186,506 | $89.67 |
| 7 | FlexSteel Pipeline Technologies | $185,855 | $89.35 |
| 8 | Daltile | $182,987 | $87.97 |
| 9 | Flowserve | $182,298 | $87.64 |
| 10 | Colorado Boxed Beef Company | $181,972 | $87.49 |
| 11 | Glaxosmithkline | $181,935 | $87.47 |
| 12 | Canberra | $180,961 | $87.00 |
| 13 | Aveda | $180,730 | $86.89 |
| 14 | Decibel Therapeutics | $177,373 | $85.28 |
| 15 | HyperScience | $177,303 | $85.24 |
| 16 | Harris Local Government | $177,220 | $85.20 |
| 17 | Health-Ade | $177,213 | $85.20 |
| 18 | TriPlay | $177,209 | $85.20 |
| 19 | Keywee | $177,209 | $85.20 |
| 20 | The Independent Traveler | $177,198 | $85.19 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Vice President Of Research And Development salary by industry
The average vice president of research and development salary varies across industries:
- The average vice president of research and development salary in the finance industry is $183,855, the highest of any industry.
- The average vice president of research and development salary in the finance industry is $174,057.
- Vice presidents of research and development in the technology industry earn an average salary of $164,759, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for vice presidents of research and development
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $183,855 | $88.39 |
| 2 | Hospitality | $174,057 | $83.68 |
| 3 | Pharmaceutical | $172,393 | $82.88 |
| 4 | Health Care | $167,811 | $80.68 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $167,036 | $80.31 |
| 6 | Technology | $164,759 | $79.21 |
High paying vice president of research and development jobs
Vice president of research and development salary trends
The average vice president of research and development salary has risen by $31,124 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average vice president of research and development earned $139,102 annually, but today, they earn $170,226 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for vice presidents of research and development over the last decade.
Compare vice president of research and development salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average vice president of research and development salary over time
Compare vice president of research and development salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Vice president of research and development salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $170,000 | $81.84 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $165,000 | $79.27 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $160,000 | $77.04 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $157,000 | $75.38 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $153,000 | $73.74 | +1.4% |
Recently added vice president of research and development salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Get It-Executive | VP of Research and Development-Remote | Sacramento, CA | 06/29/2025 | $194,000 |
| Onetrust | VP of R&D Operations | Atlanta, GA | 06/26/2025 | $228,750 |
| Onetrust | VP of R&D Operations | San Francisco, CA | 06/26/2025 | $228,750 |
| The Gap | Vice President, Materials R&D | San Francisco, CA | 06/20/2025 | $300,000 |
| The Gap | Vice President, Materials R&D | New York, NY | 06/20/2025 | $300,000 |
| Metlife, Inc. | VP Annuity Reinsurance and R D | Bridgewater, NJ | 06/12/2025 | $213,200 |
| Metlife, Inc. | VP Annuity Reinsurance and R D | New York, NY | 06/12/2025 | $213,200 |
| Amarok | Vice President, Research & Development | Columbia, SC | 06/11/2025 | $175,000 |
| Peet's Coffee | VP, R&D and QA | Emeryville, CA | 06/09/2025 | $285,000 |
| Get It-Executive | VP of Research and Development-Remote | Sacramento, CA | 05/26/2025 | $194,000 |
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