Research & Development Director Salary in Spain

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  3. > Research & Development Director
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Last Updated: July 11, 2026

€92,768 USD

per year
Hourly Rate €44.60
Bonus €7,941

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Entry Level €63K
Average €93K
Senior Level €114K

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The average pay for a Research & Development Director is €92,768, which is €44.60 an hour in Spain. The average salary range for a Research & Development Director is between €62,711 and €113,827. On average, a Doctorate is the highest level of education for a Research & Development Director.

This compensation analysis comes from aggregated salary survey data for Spain. ERI's compensation information is based on employer-reported data collected from ERI's salary surveys, customer HRIS data, data from Proxies/10Ks and Forms 990, proprietary databases, and purchased survey data. Cost-of-labor data in the Assessor Series are based on actual housing sales data from commercially available sources, plus rental rates, gasoline prices, consumables, medical care premium costs, property taxes, effective income tax rates, etc. For more information, see ERI's methodology.

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Salary Potential for Research & Development Director

Explore the estimated salary growth for Research & Development Director in Spain for up to 5 years. The estimated salary of Research & Development Director in 1 year will be €95,098, and in 5 years, will be €105,014.

Number of Years

2 Years

Estimated Salary

€97,485 USD

Percentage Growth

0%

Growth Trajectory

The estimated salary growth for Research & Development Director in [# of years] is [salary], which is [average growth %] average growth. This information is based on ERI's compensation database.

What Does a Research & Development Director Do?

Directs, coordinates, and administers the planning, research, and development function improving existing or creating new products, processes, services, ideologies, territorial expansion, and/or development of new ventures for an organization. Plans and develops aspects of research and development proposals, such as objective or purpose of project, applications that can be utilized from findings, costs of project, and equipment and human resource requirements.

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Education, Skills, and Certifications for Research & Development Directors

Gain access to salary differentials for education and skills in ERI's Salary Assessor

Education

Below is the average education level for a Research & Development Director. About 54% have a Doctorate degree, 23% have a Bachelor's degree, and 22% have a Master's degree.

  • Doctorate Degree 54%
  • Bachelor's Degree 23%
  • Master's Degree 22%
  • Associate Degree 1%
  • High School Diploma 0%
  • Less Than HS 0%

Top Skills

Below are top skills for a Research & Development Director. 81% of Research & Development Directors have a skill in Organizes project. The top 3 most popular skills for Research & Development Directors are Organizes project, Research proposal design, and Researches data.

  • Organizes project 81%
  • Research proposal design 75%
  • Researches data 69%
  • Coordinates activities 62%
  • Develops processes 56%

Popular Certifications for Research & Development Director

Project Management Professional - PMP - Project Management Institute Six Sigma Green Belt

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Compare Research & Development Director Salaries by Location

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Average Salaries for Research & Development Director

The average salary of research & development director in Spain is 92.768 €. The average salary of research & development director in California is $195,081. The average salary of research & development director in United States is $174,636. Explore the average salaries for research & development director in other locations below.

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Cost of Living in Spain

The cost of living in Spain is 0% equal to than the national average.

Whether you're planning to move or just want to see the cost of living in different locations, our cost-of-living calculator is the place to start. Compare salaries for other locations by city, U.S. ZIP code, state, or country.

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Why Your Salary May Look Different

This information is based on a specific job title and location, but real-world compensation can vary based on factors like years of experience, company size, shift differentials, and more. Because of these variables, your actual pay may fall above or below the average ranges shown. Use ERI's salary data and compensation management platform to identify market trends and accurately adjust pay so that you can price jobs competitively.

Based on the average salary in the United States, if your shift differential is 10%, then your pay will increase by €4.46/hour

*Some jobs may not be adjusted using shift differentials. Please contact [email protected] for additional information.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Research & Development Director salaries and career insights

How much does a Research & Development Director make in Spain?

ERI's data indicated that, on average, a Research & Development Director is €92,768 per year or €44.60 per hour in Spain, which is 1% lower than the national average. Top earners have reported making up to €113,827. However, the typical pay range in Spain, is between €62,711 and €113,827 annually.

What is the salary potential for Research & Development Director in 5 years?

Research & Development Director is projected to see 13.2% salary growth in 5 years.

What are some factors that impact Research & Development Director salaries?

Several factors can impact the salary, including experience, company size, job market, location, industry, and more. Understanding how these factors affect the role can provide opportunities to earn more. Use our salary calculator to find out how much you should be paid based on what someone in your area, with similar experience, earns.

How can I accurately price jobs for my organization?

There are several factors that can impact the salary, including experience, company size, job market, location, industry, education, certificates, shift differentials, and more. Understanding how these factors affect the role can help you spot pay gaps and retain top talent. ERI's Assessor Platform brings these factors together in one platform, making it easy to benchmark roles, analyze insights, and set pay with confidence.

What is ERI Economic Research Institute?

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With decades of experience in compensation, ERI offers an extensive and reliable salary survey database powered by the Assessor Platform, a comprehensive compensation management solution that optimizes complex processes for accuracy and efficiency.

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ERI's team of PhD-level data scientists and seasoned compensation professionals review and validate our salary data approximately every six weeks, ensuring the accuracy of the data that we publish. Learn more about our methodology.

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About Our Data

This page is an excerpt of the much more complete compensation information available in ERI's Assessor Series.

For over 35 years, ERI has compiled the most robust and accurate salary, cost-of-living, and executive compensation survey database available. Data are analyzed using AI and traditional statistics, depending on which approach is best for a particular application. ERI collects salary survey data from five different sources, which you can learn about here.

Verified Sources

Data sourced from internal salary surveys, purchased surveys, public sources, HRIS data, and proprietary databases.

Real-Time Data

Our salary database is updated and verified approximately every six weeks.

Quality Assurance

Along with our data scientists, we have included AI in our rigorous process to analyze and provide the highest quality data.

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Locations

35,900+

Job Titles

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Skills

5,500+

Certifications

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