Contracts Director Salary in the United States

How much does a Contracts Director make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Contracts Director in the United States is $132,430 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $64.

However, a Contracts Director's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $156,620
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $117,189 to $145,092
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $103,313
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View as table View as graph 25% $117,189 10% $103,313 90% $156,620 75% $145,092 $132,430 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Contracts Director Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $145,092 $12,091 $2,790 $70
Average $132,430 $11,036 $2,547 $64
25th Percentile $117,189 $9,766 $2,254 $56
Check out Contracts Director Job Openings in the United States
Director of Contracts

Mobius Consulting LLC - ALEXANDRIA, VA

Director Contracts

MetroStar Systems Inc. - RESTON, VA

Director of Contracts and Compliance

Yulista Holding, LLC. - HUNTSVILLE, AL

Director Contracts Administration

Peraton - RESTON, VA

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Key Factors That Influence Contracts Director Salaries

A Contracts Director's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Contracts Director Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Contracts Director's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $130,314
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $130,949
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $133,065
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $135,606
  • Expert (over 8 years): $138,897
Levels Salary
Entry Level Contracts Director$130,314
Intermediate Level Contracts Director$130,949
Senior Level Contracts Director$133,065
Specialist Level Contracts Director$135,606
Expert Level Contracts Director$138,897
$130,314 0 yr
$130,949 < 2 yrs
$133,065 2-4 yrs
$135,606 5-8 yrs
$138,897 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Contracts Directors

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $167,034
  • San Francisco: $165,392
  • Oakland: $161,724

What Skills Can Increase a Contracts Director's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Negotiating (Mentioned in 5.58% Job Postings): Applying negotiation concepts and techniques in a dialogue between two or more parties to reach a win-win solution.
  • Business Development (Mentioned in 2.26% Job Postings): Business development entails tasks and processes to develop and implement growth opportunities within and between organizations. It is a subset of the fields of business, commerce and organizational theory. Business development is the creation of long-term value for an organization from customers, markets, and relationships. Business development can be taken to mean any activity by either a small or large organization, non-profit or for-profit enterprise which serves the purpose of ‘developing’ the business in some way. In addition, business development activities can be done internally or externally by a business development consultant. External business development can be facilitated through Planning Systems, which are put in place by governments to help small businesses. In addition, reputation building has also proven to help facilitate business development.
  • Government Contracting (Mentioned in 1.47% Job Postings):
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Negotiating 5.58%
Business Development 2.26%
Government Contracting 1.47%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Contracts Director's salary.
  • Workflow Management: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Clinical Trial: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Proposal Development: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Workflow Management
 $141,700
7%
Clinical Trial
 $136,403
3%
Proposal Development
 $136,403
3%
Process Improvement
 $135,079
2%
Leadership
 $135,079
2%
Government Contracting
 $135,079
2%
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How Education impacts a Contracts Director's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Contracts Directors enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Contracts Director with a Bachelor's Degree is between $131,499 and $141,538).

Contracts Director Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Contracts Director
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 8.0%
Associates 5.9%
Bachelors 38.3%
Masters 26.8%
Doctorate 20.8%
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Contracts Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Contracts Director's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on January 01, 2026
$117,189
Average $132,430/year
$145,092
$9,766
Average $11,036/month
$12,091
$2,254
Average $2,547/week
$2,790
$56
Average $64/hour
$70
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $145,092 $12,091 $2,790 $70
Average $132,430 $11,036 $2,547 $64
25th Percentile $117,189 $9,766 $2,254 $56

Salaries of jobs related to Contracts Director

Salary Trends for Contracts Director

Salaries for a Contracts Director can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $124,586 in 2023 to around $122,364 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Contracts Director salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Contracts Director Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$124,586
2024
$124,655
2025
$122,364
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $124,586
2024 $124,655
2025 $122,364
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Contracts Director

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Contracts Director

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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