Development Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a Development Specialist make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Development Specialist in the United States is $98,026 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $47.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $111,843
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $86,699 to $105,258
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $76,388
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View as table View as graph 25% $86,699 10% $76,388 90% $111,843 75% $105,258 $98,026 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Development Specialist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $105,258 $8,772 $2,024 $51
Average $98,026 $8,169 $1,885 $47
25th Percentile $86,699 $7,225 $1,667 $42
Check out Development Specialist Job Openings in the United States
Youth Development Specialist

KLAMATH BASIN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH - KLAMATH FALLS, OR

Web Development Specialist

Bowhead / UIC Technical Services - DAHLGREN, VA

Business Development Specialist

JANUS Research Group, LLC - ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MD

Training and Development Specialist

Tecolote Research - EL SEGUNDO, CA

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Key Factors That Influence Development Specialist Salaries

A Development Specialist'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 Development Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Development Specialist'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): $59,371
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $70,798
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $97,494
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $119,536
  • Expert (over 8 years): $139,713
Levels Salary
Organizat... Level Development Specialist$59,371
Organizat... Level Development Specialist$70,798
Developme... Level Development Specialist$97,494
Organizat... Level Development Specialist$119,536
Organizat... Level Development Specialist$139,713
$59,371 0 yr
$70,798 < 2 yrs
$97,494 2-4 yrs
$119,536 5-8 yrs
$139,713 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Development Specialists

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: $123,640
  • San Francisco: $122,424
  • Oakland: $119,709

What Skills Can Increase a Development Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 6.34% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Change Management (Mentioned in 1.37% Job Postings): Change management (sometimes abbreviated as CM) is a collective term for all approaches to prepare , support and help individuals, teams, and organizations in making organizational change. The most common change drivers include: technological evolution, process reviews, crisis, and consumer habit changes; pressure from new business entrants, acquisitions, mergers, and organizational restructuring. It includes methods that redirect or redefine the use of resources, business process, budget allocations, or other modes of operation that significantly change a company or organization. Organizational change management (OCM) considers the full organization and what needs to change, while change management may be used solely to refer to how people and teams are affected by such organizational transition. It deals with many different disciplines, from behavioral and social sciences to information technology and business solutions.
  • PowerPoint (Mentioned in 1.25% Job Postings): A computer software created by Microsoft which allows the user to create slides with recordings, narrations, transitions and other features in order to present information.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 6.34%
Change Management 1.37%
PowerPoint 1.25%
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 Development Specialist's salary.
  • Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Alignment: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Consulting Management: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Consulting
$105,868
8%
Alignment
$105,868
8%
Consulting Management
$104,887
7%
Agile
$103,907
6%
Analysis
$102,927
5%
Change Management
$102,927
5%
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How Education impacts a Development Specialist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Development Specialists 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 Development Specialist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $97,079 and $103,487).

Development Specialist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Development Specialist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 1.8%
Associates 1.4%
Bachelors 23.9%
Masters 61.0%
Doctorate 11.7%
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Development Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Development Specialist'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 January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Development Specialist

Salaries for a Development Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $85,354 in 2023 to around $85,583 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Development Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Development Specialist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$85,354
2024
$85,802
2025
$85,583
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $85,354
2024 $85,802
2025 $85,583
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Development Specialist

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

Here are companies hiring for Development Specialist 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.)

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