The qualifications needed to start a career in institutional research vary by position and employer. Some schools offer graduate programs in institutional research. Students interested in a career in institutional research may also wish to study subjects such as statistics, computer science, educational administration, or another research-oriented subject. Some employers may hire entry-level analysts and assistants with a bachelor’s in any discipline. Departmental directors generally need a degree in institutional research or higher education administration as well as management skills and the ability to plan research and data collection projects.

If you are interested in a job related to Institutional Research, here are some popular related job searches with the most open positions on ZipRecruiter.

Top Types Of Institutional Research Jobs

List of the top 10 highest paying Institutional Research positions in 2026, with salary ranges, according to ZipRecruiter.

Director Of Institutional Research
Salary range: $68,000 - $98,500
A director of institutional research is responsible for leadership and oversight of research activities at colleges and universities. In this career, you collect data on the performance of your institution and coordinate with all departments to analyze and create reports based on the data you compile. You develop an annual research plan for your institution. You are also responsible for the management of reporting requirements and ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal agencies. As the director of institutional research, you may be responsible for hiring qualified research staff for the college.
Director Institutional Research
Salary range: $68,000 - $98,500
Director Institutional Research is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Director Institutional Research jobs pay between $68,000 (25th percentile) and $98,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Director Institutional Research job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Associate Director Of Institutional Research
Salary range: $68,000 - $98,500
Associate Director Of Institutional Research is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Associate Director Of Institutional Research jobs pay between $68,000 (25th percentile) and $98,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Associate Director Of Institutional Research job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Senior Research Director
Salary range: $135,500 - $229,000
Senior Research Director is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Senior Research Director jobs pay between $135,500 (25th percentile) and $229,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Senior Research Director job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Research Director
Salary range: $135,500 - $229,000
A research director manages a company’s research and development department. As a research director, you supervise team members, overseeing data collection and analysis, product design, and manufacturing. Other responsibilities include hiring and training new staff, conducting performance evaluations, and gathering information and preparing detailed reports about the progress and outcomes of research projects. The qualifications for a career as a research director are a doctorate in science and at least five years of management experience.
Web Research
Salary range: $94,000 - $94,500
Web Research is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Web Research jobs pay between $94,000 (25th percentile) and $94,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Web Research job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Director Of Research Innovation
Salary range: $135,500 - $229,000
Director Of Research Innovation is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Director Of Research Innovation jobs pay between $135,500 (25th percentile) and $229,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Director Of Research Innovation job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Entry Level Spss
Salary range: $40,500 - $51,500
Entry Level Spss is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Entry Level Spss jobs pay between $40,500 (25th percentile) and $51,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Entry Level Spss job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Irb Director
Salary range: $56,000 - $119,000
Irb Director is a typical job search query Most salaries for Irb Director jobs pay between $56,000 (25th percentile) and $119,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Irb Director job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.
Director Pre Award Research Administration
Salary range: $135,500 - $229,000
Director Pre Award Research Administration is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Director Pre Award Research Administration jobs pay between $135,500 (25th percentile) and $229,000 (75th percentile) annually. You’ll find many open positions nationwide for Director Pre Award Research Administration job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.

All Jobs Institutional Research Jobs 10 of the Most Popular Types of Institutional Research Jobs in 2026