Medical Science Director Salary in the United States

How much does a Medical Science Director make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Medical Science Director in the United States is $360,882 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $174.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $426,019
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $320,945 to $394,977
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $284,584
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View as table View as graph 25% $320,945 10% $284,584 90% $426,019 75% $394,977 $360,882 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Medical Science Director Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $394,977 $32,915 $7,596 $190
Average $360,882 $30,074 $6,940 $174
25th Percentile $320,945 $26,745 $6,172 $154
Check out Medical Science Director Job Openings in the United States
Medical Director Physician

Lancesoft INC - Athens, OH

Medical Director Physician

Inspire Healthcare - Cleveland, OH

Medical Director Physician

Inspire Healthcare - Columbus, OH

Medical Director Physician

FCS, Inc. - Cleveland, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Medical Science Director Salaries

A Medical Science 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 Do Medical Science 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 Medical Science Directors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $399,569.
  • California: $398,053.
  • Massachusetts: $392,748.

Top Paying Cities for Medical Science 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: $455,180
  • San Francisco: $450,197
  • Oakland: $440,709

What Skills Can Increase a Medical Science Director's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 14.71% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Clinical Supervision (Mentioned in 2.87% Job Postings): Supervision is used in counselling, psychotherapy, and other mental health disciplines as well as many other professions engaged in working with people. Supervision may be applied as well to practitioners in somatic disciplines for their preparatory work for patients as well as collateral with patients. Supervision is a replacement instead of formal retrospective inspection, delivering evidence about the skills of the supervised practitioners. It consists of the practitioner meeting regularly with another professional, not necessarily more senior, but normally with training in the skills of supervision, to discuss casework and other professional issues in a structured way. This is often known as clinical or counselling supervision (consultation differs in being optional advice from someone without a supervisor's formal authority). The purpose is to assist the practitioner to learn from his or her experience and progress in expertise, as well as to ensure good service to the client or patient. Learning shall be applied to planning work as well as to diagnostic work and therapeutic work.
  • Medical Services (Mentioned in 1.72% Job Postings): A service that provides medical treatment to people within an area or country: In poorer countries without a reliable health service, 90% of care for people with Aids-related illnesses is carried out in the home. health services.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 14.71%
Clinical Supervision 2.87%
Medical Services 1.72%
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 Medical Science Director's salary.
  • Utilization Management: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Clinical Trial: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Utilization Management
$400,579
11%
Clinical Trial
$400,579
11%
Insight
$396,970
10%
Quality Management
$393,361
9%
Oncology
$386,144
7%
Flexibility
$382,535
6%
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How Education impacts a Medical Science Director's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Medical Science Directors enter the field with a Master's Degree or MBA 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 Medical Science Director with a Master's Degree or MBA is between $320,393 and $336,921).

Medical Science Director Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Medical Science Director
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.1%
High School 1.1%
Associates 0.9%
Bachelors 3.7%
Masters 5.0%
Doctorate 89.2%
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Medical Science Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Medical Science 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 May 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Medical Science Director

Salaries for a Medical Science Director can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $246,528 in 2023 to around $235,678 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Medical Science Director salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Medical Science Director Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$246,528
2024
$244,679
2025
$235,678
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $246,528
2024 $244,679
2025 $235,678
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Medical Science Director

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

Here are companies hiring for Medical Science Director and their salaries, click below for more details.

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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.)

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

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