How much does a Foster Care Director make in the United States?
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Foster Care Director in the United States is $87,678 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $42.
However, a Foster Care Director's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $111,328
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $78,290 to $100,057
Key Factors That Influence Foster Care Director Salaries
A Foster Care 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 Foster Care Director Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Foster Care 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): $82,042
Early Career (1-2 years): $82,320
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $85,958
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $90,773
Expert (over 8 years): $91,116
Levels
Salary
Entry Level Foster Care Director
$82,042
Intermediate Level Foster Care Director
$82,320
Senior Level Foster Care Director
$85,958
Specialist Level Foster Care Director
$90,773
Expert Level Foster Care Director
$91,116
$82,0420 yr
$82,320< 2 yrs
$85,9582-4 yrs
$90,7735-8 yrs
$91,116> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Foster Care 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 Foster Care Directors.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $97,077.
California: $96,709.
Massachusetts: $95,420.
District of Columbia$97,077
California$96,709
Massachusetts$95,420
Washington$95,069
New Jersey$95,034
Alaska$94,911
Connecticut$93,701
New York$93,210
Hawaii$91,641
Rhode Island$90,904
Maryland$90,405
Minnesota$89,721
Colorado$89,458
Illinois$89,370
Oregon$89,037
Delaware$88,791
New Hampshire$88,637
Virginia$88,292
Pennsylvania$87,283
Nevada$86,775
North Dakota$86,608
Michigan$86,345
Wisconsin$86,249
Vermont$86,056
Texas$85,521
Maine$85,486
Arizona$85,433
Ohio$85,372
Georgia$84,565
Indiana$84,162
Wyoming$84,083
Utah$83,960
Iowa$83,908
Kansas$83,487
Louisiana$83,364
North Carolina$83,320
Missouri$83,303
Florida$82,961
Montana$82,777
Nebraska$82,601
Kentucky$82,505
South Carolina$82,154
Tennessee$81,935
Idaho$81,847
New Mexico$81,207
Oklahoma$81,067
Alabama$80,550
South Dakota$79,682
Arkansas$79,208
West Virginia$78,954
Mississippi$78,191
Top Paying Cities for Foster Care 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: $110,588
San Francisco: $109,377
Oakland: $107,072
San Jose, CA$110,588
San Francisco, CA$109,377
Oakland, CA$107,072
New York, NY$100,951
Paramus, NJ$99,724
Queens Village, NY$99,719
Passaic, NJ$99,636
Bergenfield, NJ$99,628
Stamford, CT$99,435
Huntington, NY$99,399
Newark, NJ$98,752
Bridgeport, CT$98,567
Vallejo, CA$98,392
New Brunswick, NJ$98,357
Petaluma, CA$98,304
Middlesex, NJ$98,138
Somerset, NJ$98,076
Santa Cruz, CA$97,962
Boston, MA$97,428
Monterey, CA$97,120
Seattle, WA$96,919
Santa Rosa, CA$96,902
Los Angeles, CA$96,875
Juneau, AK$96,647
Washington, DC$96,551
Orange, CA$96,239
Santa Ana, CA$96,007
Long Beach, CA$95,920
Anaheim, CA$95,902
Anchorage, AK$95,858
Santa Maria, CA$95,595
Everett, WA$95,578
Danbury, CT$95,269
Bremerton, WA$95,148
Tacoma, WA$94,832
New Suffolk, NY$94,831
Sacramento, CA$94,806
Santa Barbara, CA$94,710
Trenton, NJ$94,613
San Diego, CA$94,613
Brockton, MA$94,517
Fairbanks, AK$94,302
Lompoc, CA$94,078
Lowell, MA$94,007
Ventura, CA$93,991
Nashua, NH$93,973
Stockton, CA$93,964
Modesto, CA$93,324
Poughkeepsie, NY$93,131
Olympia, WA$92,965
Kennewick, WA$92,965
New Haven, CT$92,930
Lawrence, MA$92,614
Hartford, CT$92,526
Riverside, CA$92,509
New Bedford, MA$92,421
Richland, WA$92,421
Bakersfield, CA$92,298
San Bernardino, CA$92,263
New Britain, CT$92,255
Atlantic City, NJ$92,255
New London, CT$92,220
Norwich, CT$92,193
Portsmouth, NH$92,176
Boulder, CO$91,990
Portland, OR$91,869
Worcester, MA$91,860
Minneapolis, MN$91,588
Philadelphia, PA$91,465
Honolulu, HI$91,176
Saint Paul, MN$91,134
Vineland, NJ$91,115
Providence, RI$90,861
Chicago, IL$90,606
Bellingham, WA$90,501
Springfield, MA$90,431
Baltimore, MD$90,405
Chico, CA$90,185
Pittsfield, MA$89,949
Manchester, NH$89,782
Spokane, WA$89,396
Denver, CO$89,388
Albany, NY$88,975
Troy, NY$88,940
Nassau, NY$88,847
Schenectady, NY$88,756
Wilmington, DE$88,686
Burlington, VT$88,563
Salem, OR$88,528
Portland, ME$88,256
Yakima, WA$88,169
Rochester, MN$87,897
Reno, NV$87,853
Fresno, CA$87,853
Milwaukee, WI$87,774
Detroit, MI$87,687
Ann Arbor, MI$87,672
Allentown, PA$87,660
Colorado Springs, CO$87,511
Syracuse, NY$87,467
Carson City, NV$87,467
Houston, TX$87,345
Eugene, OR$87,301
Gary, IN$87,196
Springfield, OR$87,125
Bismarck, ND$87,108
Galveston, TX$87,047
Medford, OR$86,915
Fort Collins, CO$86,880
Concord, NH$86,836
Austin, TX$86,810
Mesa, AZ$86,626
Reading, PA$86,617
Phoenix, AZ$86,608
Dallas, TX$86,582
Saint Cloud, MN$86,498
Madison, WI$86,380
Utica, NY$86,143
Rochester, NY$86,003
Des Moines, IA$85,994
Raleigh, NC$85,986
Atlanta, GA$85,854
Battle Creek, MI$85,828
Salt Lake City, UT$85,801
Lancaster, PA$85,670
Harrisburg, PA$85,547
Kansas City, MO$85,460
Champaign, IL$85,442
Kansas City, KS$85,442
Fort Worth, TX$85,433
Columbus, OH$85,418
Boca Raton, FL$85,398
Pittsburgh, PA$85,363
Richmond, VA$85,328
Indianapolis, IN$85,310
Cleveland, OH$85,302
Las Vegas, NV$85,197
Cincinnati, OH$85,197
Petersburg, VA$85,065
Huntsville, AL$84,933
Lansing, MI$84,875
Lebanon, PA$84,863
Pueblo, CO$84,855
Appleton, WI$84,828
Buffalo, NY$84,793
Dayton, OH$84,767
Racine, WI$84,749
Charlotte, NC$84,741
Saint Louis, MO$84,714
York, PA$84,662
Elkhart, IN$84,662
Gastonia, NC$84,645
Billings, MT$84,624
Beaumont, TX$84,600
Lorain, OH$84,583
Benton Harbor, MI$84,565
Toledo, OH$84,548
Binghamton, NY$84,504
Rock Hill, SC$84,495
Rockford, IL$84,451
Springfield, IL$84,416
Elyria, OH$84,407
Fargo, ND$84,407
Flagstaff, AZ$84,346
Fort Lauderdale, FL$84,293
Duluth, MN$84,241
Miami, FL$84,241
Cheyenne, WY$84,179
Grand Forks, ND$84,179
Bangor, ME$83,987
Cedar Rapids, IA$83,890
Durham, NC$83,853
Louisville, KY$83,846
Grand Rapids, MI$83,829
Hialeah, FL$83,820
Casper, WY$83,697
Scranton, PA$83,592
New Orleans, LA$83,566
Virginia Beach, VA$83,557
Akron, OH$83,513
Peoria, IL$83,399
Sarasota, FL$83,382
Nashville, TN$83,320
Omaha, NE$83,320
Green Bay, WI$83,320
Baton Rouge, LA$83,276
Charleston, SC$83,259
Jamestown, NY$83,215
Davenport, IA$83,215
Tucson, AZ$83,171
Saint Petersburg, FL$83,119
Tampa, FL$83,101
Evansville, IN$83,048
Port Arthur, TX$83,048
Bradenton, FL$83,013
Santa Fe, NM$82,856
Orlando, FL$82,698
Clearwater, FL$82,671
Canton, OH$82,487
La Crosse, WI$82,487
Albuquerque, NM$82,435
Newport News, VA$82,426
High Point, NC$82,400
Ogden, UT$82,365
Corpus Christi, TX$82,294
Norfolk, VA$82,242
Laramie, WY$82,242
Rock Island, IL$82,189
Saginaw, MI$82,172
Jacksonville, FL$82,163
Salisbury, NC$82,145
Boise, ID$82,128
Moline, IL$82,084
Fort Myers, FL$82,058
Memphis, TN$82,040
Tulsa, OK$81,996
Waterloo, IA$81,944
Spartanburg, SC$81,856
Lincoln, NE$81,812
Fort Wayne, IN$81,795
Provo, UT$81,786
Cedar Falls, IA$81,681
San Antonio, TX$81,646
Greensboro, NC$81,610
South Bend, IN$81,602
Savannah, GA$81,505
Muskegon, MI$81,470
Birmingham, AL$81,461
Winston Salem, NC$81,418
Lake Charles, LA$81,207
Anderson, IN$81,190
Lexington, KY$81,163
Augusta, GA$81,137
Greenville, SC$81,137
Lima, OH$81,067
Wichita, KS$81,058
Tuscaloosa, AL$81,058
Columbia, SC$80,979
Springfield, OH$80,962
Asheville, NC$80,821
Bloomington, IN$80,760
Knoxville, TN$80,444
Shreveport, LA$80,436
Wilmington, NC$80,322
Roanoke, VA$80,322
Topeka, KS$80,164
Frankfort, KY$80,154
Oklahoma City, OK$80,094
Chillicothe, OH$80,059
Longview, TX$80,050
Melbourne, FL$80,041
Sioux Falls, SD$79,901
Mobile, AL$79,892
Terre Haute, IN$79,857
Altoona, PA$79,804
Amarillo, TX$79,743
Killeen, TX$79,717
Fayetteville, AR$79,647
Chattanooga, TN$79,620
Sioux City, IA$79,541
Idaho Falls, ID$79,524
Lynchburg, VA$79,454
Gainesville, FL$79,340
Portsmouth, OH$79,296
Little Rock, AR$79,278
Lafayette, LA$79,243
Youngstown, OH$79,243
Daytona Beach, FL$79,191
Clarksville, TN$79,182
Pensacola, FL$79,173
Temple, TX$79,167
Hopkinsville, KY$78,910
Erie, PA$78,892
Florence, SC$78,857
Charleston, WV$78,717
Great Falls, MT$78,673
Macon, GA$78,551
Tallahassee, FL$78,542
Fayetteville, NC$78,524
Waco, TX$78,507
Helena, MT$78,445
Pine Bluff, AR$78,412
Vincennes, IN$78,305
Lubbock, TX$78,270
Alamogordo, NM$78,217
Twin Falls, ID$78,138
Rapid City, SD$78,112
Jackson, MS$77,954
Huntington, WV$77,948
Greenville, MS$77,946
Parkersburg, WV$77,856
Montgomery, AL$77,840
Wichita Falls, TX$77,753
Springfield, MO$77,753
Biloxi, MS$77,709
Monroe, LA$77,621
Johnstown, PA$77,560
Sumter, SC$77,525
Columbus, GA$77,516
Pascagoula, MS$77,349
Abilene, TX$77,349
Kingsport, TN$77,121
Albany, GA$77,121
Gulfport, MS$77,095
Alexandria, LA$76,806
Fort Smith, AR$76,587
El Paso, TX$76,350
Las Cruces, NM$75,955
Harlingen, TX$75,733
Pocatello, ID$75,719
Florence, AL$75,605
Brownsville, TX$75,587
Mcallen, TX$75,403
Dothan, AL$75,280
Columbus, MS$74,759
Altus, OK$74,351
Lawton, OK$74,184
Pierre, SD$73,869
What Skills Can Increase a Foster Care Director's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Coordination (Mentioned in 4.16% Job Postings): Ability to plan, execute, and adjust job duties to achieve business goals.
Acute Care (Mentioned in 2.85% Job Postings): Acute care is a branch of secondary health care where a patient receives active but short-term treatment for a severe injury or episode of illness, an urgent medical condition, or during recovery from surgery. In medical terms, care for acute health conditions is the opposite from chronic care, or longer term care. Acute care services are generally delivered by teams of health care professionals from a range of medical and surgical specialties. Acute care may require a stay in a hospital emergency department, ambulatory surgery center, urgent care centre or other short-term stay facility, along with the assistance of diagnostic services, surgery, or follow-up outpatient care in the community. Hospital-based acute inpatient care typically has the goal of discharging patients as soon as they are deemed healthy and stable. Acute care settings include emergency department, intensive care, coronary care, cardiology, neonatal intensive care, and many general areas where the patient could become acutely unwell and require stabilization and transfer to another higher dependency unit for further treatment.
Administrative Support (Mentioned in 1.73% Job Postings): Administrative support means technical assistance, studies, surveys, or securing volunteers to assist the department in fulfilling its administrative responsibilities.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Coordination
4.16%
Acute Care
2.85%
Administrative Support
1.73%
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 Foster Care Director's salary.
Workday: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
Care Management: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
Process Management: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Workday
$102,583
17%
Care Management
$100,829
15%
Process Management
$98,199
12%
Managed Care
$96,446
10%
Acute Care
$95,569
9%
Patient Care
$92,938
6%
Get Latest Data
Foster Care Director Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Foster Care Director roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential
by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare,
offers compensation 10% above the average. Conversely,
Foster Care Director positions in Edu., Government & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view Foster Care Director as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for a Foster Care Director
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$96,446
$46.0
10%
How Education impacts a Foster Care Director's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Foster Care 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 Foster Care Director with a Bachelor's Degree is between
$65,888
and $74,850).
Foster Care Director Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for Foster Care Director
No Diploma0.3%
High School6.2%
Associates7.3%
Bachelors68.6%
Masters17.3%
Doctorate0.3%
view as table
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
0.3%
High School
6.2%
Associates
7.3%
Bachelors
68.6%
Masters
17.3%
Doctorate
0.3%
view as graph
Foster Care Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Foster Care 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.
Salaries for a Foster Care Director can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $61,779 in 2023
to around $58,912 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Foster Care Director salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Foster Care Director Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$61,779
2024
$59,985
2025
$58,912
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$61,779
2024
$59,985
2025
$58,912
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Foster Care 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 Foster Care Director
Here are companies hiring for Foster Care Director and their salaries, click below for more details.
N
$97,099/per year
New York Police Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$95,962/per year
State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$94,615/per year
US Department of Transportation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$93,141/per year
US General Services Administration
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$92,342/per year
Los Angeles County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
D
$92,011/per year
Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,967/per year
US Department of Commerce
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,755/per year
US Department of Energy
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
F
$91,673/per year
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$90,276/per year
Naval Sea Systems Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,975/per year
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$88,721/per year
San Diego County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,664/per year
The TTB
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$87,569/per year
Lutheran Services
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
M
$85,066/per year
Maryland Inc
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$83,780/per year
State University of New York
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$82,969/per year
New York State
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
P
$82,703/per year
Puerto Rico Department of Education
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$80,526/per year
US Central Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
H
$80,286/per year
Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$79,270/per year
Air Force Reserve
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$78,505/per year
American Automobile Association (AAA)
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$76,678/per year
State of Florida - Department of Health
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$75,183/per year
New York State Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$75,106/per year
State University System of Florida
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
Find Your Next Foster Care Director Job
Ready to take the next step in your career?
Browse thousands of current Foster Care Director job openings on our job board.
Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
Job Description. Job Description. Position Summary. Necco has an opportunity for a career as. Therapist. for our. Integrated Services Program. (Foster Care...
more
Job Description. Job Description. We are a social enterprise that is actively changing the face of child welfare and are constantly searching for talented,...
more
PRICY STAFFING & HOMECARE AGENCY LL | Columbus, OH
Job Description. Job Description. Job Type: Full-time / Part -time. Job Summary. We are seeking an experienced and skilled Director of Nursing to lead our ...
more
Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, seeks a board-certified neonatologist to lead its Neonatal ECMO program. The hospital houses the largest ...
more
Emergency Medicine Physician Needed near Columbus, Ohio. An excellent opportunity for a full-time EM Physician to join an Emergency Department team near Co...
more
PSYCHIATRIST- CHILD/ADOLESCENT COLUMBUS OHIO We are seeking a Board-Certified Child/ Adolescent Psychiatrist for a permanent position in Columbus Ohio No V...
more
2 Days Ago
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.
FAQ about Foster Care Director
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Foster Care Director?
The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Foster Care Director roles,
with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.
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.
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered HR
Smart Recruiting
