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Research and Development Manager salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a research and development manager is $150,100 per annum, before tax, up $31,000 since 2018.
- Pay rises with the size of the research budget and the sector: pharmaceutical, medical technology and resources employers typically pay more than public research agencies and universities.
- Bonuses tied to product milestones, patents or commercial outcomes are common in industry, so total earnings can sit well above base salary.
- Almost all of these roles are full time, and the week stretches during a programme milestone.
The median salary rose by $31,000 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than research and development manager
The largest typical pay rise is $31,900 a year, moving into Chief Executive Officer.
- Chief Executive Officer+$31,900/yr
- University Lecturer+$1,900/yr
How to negotiate a higher research and development manager salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time research and development manager salary is $150,100; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Project management and Strategy development tend to command a premium over general research and development manager experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Chief Executive Officer pays a typical $31,900 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Research and Development Manager salary questions
How much do research and development managers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a research and development manager is $150,100 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is research and development manager pay rising or falling?
The median research and development manager salary is up $31,000 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than research and development manager?
Chief Executive Officer pays a typical $31,900 a year more and draws on similar skills to research and development manager.
Related salaries
- University Lecturer salary
- General Manager salary
- Project Manager salary
- Chief Executive Officer salary
- Project Director salary
- Chemist salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.