Pay for scientists who move into R&D leadership — managing programmes, labs and research teams — by percentile, from U.S. BLS OEWS wage data.
Median (national)
$157,740
Typical range (25th–75th)
$109,300–$212,080
This is where a scientific career goes when it turns to leadership: planning, directing and coordinating research and development across the life and physical sciences. In biotech and pharma it covers R&D managers, lab and programme leads, and scientific directors, and it is among the highest-paid non-executive tracks in the sector — the top of the band is reported by BLS only as a floor because it exceeds the survey's top code. Pay is driven by the scope of the programmes and budgets under the role.
R&D manager salary, scientific director salary, director of research and development pay and head of R&D salary biotech.
Figures are national annual wage percentiles from U.S. BLS OEWS (May 2023, national), using the occupational category Natural Sciences Managers (SOC 11-9121) as the closest match — the same source RoleLantern uses for its pay-transparency checks. Release: May 2023. Actual pay varies with location, employer, therapeutic area, seniority and total compensation (bonus and equity). See bls.gov/oes.