Assistant Department Director Salary in the United States

How much does an Assistant Department Director make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for an Assistant Department Director in the United States is $165,820 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $80.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $201,194
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $146,104 to $184,336
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $128,154
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
Recruit with AI
Smart Recruiting
View as table View as graph 25% $146,104 10% $128,154 90% $201,194 75% $184,336 $165,820 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Assistant Department Director Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $184,336 $15,361 $3,545 $89
Average $165,820 $13,818 $3,189 $80
25th Percentile $146,104 $12,175 $2,810 $70
Check out Assistant Department Director Job Openings in the United States
Assistant Director Business Administrator Department of Surgery

University of Cincinnati - Mt Auburn, OH

Search More Assistant Department Director Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Assistant Department Director Salaries

An Assistant Department 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 Assistant Department Director Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Assistant Department 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): $84,078
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $96,749
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $131,519
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $161,963
  • Expert (over 8 years): $309,320
Levels Salary
Office Ma... Level Assistant Department Director$84,078
Office Ma... Level Assistant Department Director$96,749
Administr... Level Assistant Department Director$131,519
Assistant... Level Assistant Department Director$161,963
Chief Adm... Level Assistant Department Director$309,320
$84,078 0 yr
$96,749 < 2 yrs
$131,519 2-4 yrs
$161,963 5-8 yrs
$309,320 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Assistant Department Director Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Assistant Department Directors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $183,596.
  • California: $182,899.
  • Massachusetts: $180,462.

Top Paying Cities for Assistant Department 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: $209,149
  • San Francisco: $206,859
  • Oakland: $202,499

What Skills Can Increase an Assistant Department Director's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 3.82% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Bookkeeping (Mentioned in 3.71% Job Postings): Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions, and is part of the process of accounting in business. Transactions include purchases, sales, receipts, and payments by an individual person or an organization/corporation. There are several standard methods of bookkeeping, including the single-entry and double-entry bookkeeping systems. While these may be viewed as "real" bookkeeping, any process for recording financial transactions is a bookkeeping process. Bookkeeping is the work of a bookkeeper (or book-keeper), who records the day-to-day financial transactions of a business. They usually write the daybooks (which contain records of sales, purchases, receipts, and payments), and document each financial transaction, whether cash or credit, into the correct daybook—that is, petty cash book, suppliers ledger, customer ledger, etc.—and the general ledger. Thereafter, an accountant can create financial reports from the information recorded by the bookkeeper.
  • General Ledger (Mentioned in 1.69% Job Postings): Creating and keeping track of business transactions and activities to monitor financial operations.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 3.82%
Bookkeeping 3.71%
General Ledger 1.69%
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 an Assistant Department Director's salary.
  • Cash Collection: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Risk Management: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Long Term Care: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Cash Collection
$185,718
12%
Risk Management
$177,427
7%
Long Term Care
$175,769
6%
Sales Process
$175,769
6%
Financial Management
$174,111
5%
Initiative
$172,453
4%
Get Latest Data

Assistant Department Director Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Assistant Department Director roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Telecom and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Assistant Department Director positions in Transportation or Financial Services typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Assistant Department Director as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Assistant Department Director

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Telecom$207,275$100.025%
Energy & Utilities$198,984$96.020%
Insurance$195,668$94.018%
Aerospace & Defense$190,693$92.015%
Business Services$185,718$89.012%

How Education impacts an Assistant Department Director's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Assistant Department Directors enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Assistant Department Director with a No Diploma is between $172,961 and $186,879).

Assistant Department Director Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Assistant Department Director
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 50.0%
High School 50.0%
Associates 0.0%
Bachelors 50.0%
Masters 0.0%
Doctorate 0.0%
view as graph

Assistant Department Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Assistant Department 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.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Assistant Department Director

Salaries for an Assistant Department Director can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $147,301 in 2023 to around $142,619 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Assistant Department Director salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Assistant Department Director Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$147,301
2024
$145,186
2025
$142,619
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $147,301
2024 $145,186
2025 $142,619
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Assistant Department Director

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Assistant Department Director

Here are companies hiring for Assistant Department Director and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Assistant Department Director Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Assistant Department Director job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst