Interim Director Salary in the United States

How much does an Interim Director make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Interim Director in the United States is $64,267 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $31.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $76,928
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $60,341 to $70,894
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $56,768

Key Factors That Influence Interim Director Salaries

An Interim 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 Interim Director Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Interim 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): $62,540
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $62,652
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $64,267
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $66,996
  • Expert (over 8 years): $67,191
Levels Salary
Entry Level Interim Director$62,540
Intermediate Level Interim Director$62,652
Senior Level Interim Director$64,267
Specialist Level Interim Director$66,996
Expert Level Interim Director$67,191

Top Paying Cities for Interim 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: $81,060
  • San Francisco: $80,172
  • Oakland: $78,482

What Skills Can Increase an Interim Director's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Attention to Detail (Mentioned in 5.65% Job Postings): Executing and completing a task with a high level of accuracy.
  • Adobe (Mentioned in 2.1% Job Postings): A mixture of wet earth and grass made into bricks and dried in the sun, used to build houses. It originated from the oral form of Arabic al-tob, meaning "brick," It is the first materials used to create buildings in the 8th century B.C
  • Marketing Communications (Mentioned in 1.77% Job Postings): Marketing communications (MC, marcom(s), marcomm(s)) uses different marketing channels and tools in combination: Marketing communication channels focus on any way a business communicates a message to its desired market, or the market in general. A marketing communication tool can be anything from: advertising, personal selling, direct marketing, sponsorship, communication, and promotion to public relations. MC are made up of the marketing mix which is made up of 4P's: Price, Promotion, Place and Product, for a business selling goods, and made up of 7P's: Price, Promotion, Place, Product, People, Physical evidence and Process, for a service based business.
Skills Demand Percentage
Attention to Detail 5.65%
Adobe 2.1%
Marketing Communications 1.77%

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 Interim Director's salary.

  • B2C: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Digital Marketing: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
B2C $75,192
17%
Leadership $74,549
16%
Digital Marketing $74,549
16%

Interim Director Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Interim Director roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Interim Director positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Interim Director as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Interim Director

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$77,120$37.020%
Biotechnology$77,120$37.020%
Business Services$77,120$37.020%
Chemicals$77,120$37.020%
Construction$77,120$37.020%

How Education impacts an Interim Director's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Interim Directors enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate 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 Interim Director with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $55,265 and $59,437).

Interim Director Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Interim Director
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.5%
High School 5.7%
Associates 3.0%
Bachelors 72.4%
Masters 16.3%
Doctorate 2.2%

Interim Director Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Interim 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 September 01, 2026
$60,341
Average $64,267/year
$70,894
$5,028
Average $5,356/month
$5,908
$1,160
Average $1,236/week
$1,363
$29
Average $31/hour
$34
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $70,894 $5,908 $1,363 $34
Average $64,267 $5,356 $1,236 $31
25th Percentile $60,341 $5,028 $1,160 $29

Most common benefits for Interim Director

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

Common company salaries for Interim Director

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

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FAQ about Interim Director

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Interim Director?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Interim Director roles, with salaries approximately 20% 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.

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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