Business Development Director, Data Center Salary
This is the Data Center Headhunters salary guide.
BLS does not measure Business Development Director, Data Center as its own occupation, so this page uses Sales Managers (SOC 11-2022, broader occupation). The median annual wage in the United States was $148,270 (BLS, May 2025), and the middle half earned $100,360 to $207,340.
This is what we do all day: recruit data center professionals.
Broader occupation
Sales Managers is a broader occupation based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
National pay range
| Point | Annual wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $73,170 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $100,360 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $148,270 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $207,340 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $290,540 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $164,350 | Average wage. |
| Point | Hourly wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35.18 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $48.25 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $71.28 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $99.68 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $139.68 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $79.02 | Average wage. |
What BLS wages include: base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. What they leave out: overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 11-2022 Sales Managers, United States. View this release at BLS.
Pay relative to all occupations
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| This occupation, median | $148,270 |
| All occupations (SOC 00-0000), median | $50,980 |
| Relative wage | 2.91 times |
A ratio of 1.00 means the same median as all workers in the area. It is arithmetic on two BLS medians, not a BLS statistic.
Pay in industries that hire this occupation
| Industry (BLS name) | NAICS | Employment | Share of occupation | Median | P25 to P75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 541500 | 37,790 | 5.9% | $180,460 | $134,650 to $232,520 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 423400 | 23,360 | 3.7% | $167,270 | $124,010 to $230,570 |
| Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services | 518200 | 8,500 | 1.3% | $176,080 | $139,200 to $220,960 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | 5,230 | 0.8% | $166,770 | $126,490 to $211,130 |
| Engineering Services | 541330 | 3,970 | 0.6% | $170,910 | $131,110 to $214,700 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | 3,150 | 0.5% | $135,440 | $95,600 to $184,790 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 334100 | 1,930 | 0.3% | $215,500 | $140,800 to $301,630 |
| Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | 238210 | 1,460 | 0.2% | $127,250 | $82,630 to $193,690 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | 1,380 | 0.2% | $124,720 | $90,730 to $166,420 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 335900 | 1,350 | 0.2% | $165,000 | $118,610 to $211,530 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | 238220 | 1,260 | 0.2% | $137,120 | $104,040 to $181,000 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | 1,150 | 0.2% | $163,900 | $125,340 to $207,260 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | 810 | 0.1% | $161,830 | $108,660 to $222,100 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | 541380 | 700 | 0.1% | $160,820 | $110,110 to $185,370 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | 520 | 0.1% | $155,360 | $112,160 to $201,550 |
| Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | 237130 | 360 | 0.1% | $163,490 | $120,610 to $198,770 |
| Facilities Support Services | 561200 | 210 | 0.0% | $132,950 | $98,220 to $199,990 |
These national industry rows cover privately owned establishments. Industry names are exact BLS NAICS titles. Industries overlap, so shares do not sum to 100%. An industry row does not mean the employer runs data centers.
Pay in target metros
| Metro area | Median | P25 to P75 | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $175,820 | $121,380 to $232,760 | 8,780 | 0.68 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $144,290 | $101,840 to $205,680 | 26,780 | 1.61 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $148,320 | $103,590 to $202,600 | 11,210 | 1.15 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $166,920 | $120,370 to $214,910 | 12,080 | 1.02 |
| Columbus, OH | $138,580 | $100,510 to $187,760 | 4,460 | 0.98 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $158,690 | $110,000 to $212,000 | 25,390 | 1.37 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $201,780 | $128,620 to $306,900 | 8,940 | 1.92 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $162,640 | $119,990 to $213,270 | 3,910 | 0.79 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Highest and lowest paying metros
Ranked by published median annual wage among 389 metro areas with an exact median.
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $215,150 | 44,870 | 1.15 |
| 2 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $206,610 | 11,540 | 1.04 |
| 3 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $201,780 | 8,940 | 1.92 |
| 4 | Boulder, CO | $200,970 | 740 | 0.94 |
| 5 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $198,550 | 400 | 0.57 |
| 6 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $190,370 | 1,150 | 0.81 |
| 7 | Lawrence, KS | $189,740 | 180 | 0.83 |
| 8 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $184,320 | 6,620 | 0.77 |
| 9 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $181,580 | 5,930 | 0.9 |
| 10 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $178,360 | 850 | 0.86 |
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 380 | Alexandria, LA | $85,470 | 140 | 0.57 |
| 381 | Johnstown, PA | $85,220 | 90 | 0.48 |
| 382 | Gadsden, AL | $80,950 | 60 | 0.46 |
| 383 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $80,410 | 1,850 | 0.65 |
| 384 | Morgantown, WV | $80,340 | 70 | 0.26 |
| 385 | Aguadilla, PR | $79,420 | 80 | 0.39 |
| 386 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $74,200 | 70 | 0.49 |
| 387 | Arecibo, PR | $72,860 | 50 | 0.38 |
| 388 | Mayaguez, PR | $71,750 | 60 | 0.3 |
| 389 | Ponce, PR | $66,190 | 80 | 0.29 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Where pay is highest relative to local wages
This compares the occupation's median with the all-occupations median in the same metro and on the same annual basis. It does not adjust for living costs. Only exact published medians are ranked. A top-coded lower bound cannot establish an exact rank.
| Metro | Occupation median | All-occupations median | Ratio | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence, KS | $189,740 | $47,390 | 4.00 times | 180 | 0.83 |
| Dover, DE | $178,130 | $46,690 | 3.82 times | 110 | 0.4 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $198,550 | $55,310 | 3.59 times | 400 | 0.57 |
| Manhattan, KS | $162,920 | $45,900 | 3.55 times | 130 | 0.57 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $215,150 | $61,430 | 3.50 times | 44,870 | 1.15 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $157,260 | $46,110 | 3.41 times | 130 | 0.47 |
| Pueblo, CO | $166,160 | $48,940 | 3.40 times | 60 | 0.26 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $177,780 | $52,710 | 3.37 times | 600 | 0.46 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $157,340 | $47,070 | 3.34 times | 130 | 0.45 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $160,830 | $48,120 | 3.34 times | 80 | 0.27 |
| Dalton, GA | $139,960 | $42,210 | 3.32 times | 180 | 0.69 |
| Valdosta, GA | $128,650 | $39,110 | 3.29 times | 90 | 0.41 |
| Richmond, VA | $168,590 | $51,460 | 3.28 times | 1,320 | 0.49 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $160,660 | $49,090 | 3.27 times | 130 | 0.62 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $166,920 | $51,170 | 3.26 times | 12,080 | 1.02 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $159,610 | $48,970 | 3.26 times | 190 | 0.39 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $165,980 | $50,990 | 3.26 times | 470 | 0.43 |
| Lynchburg, VA | $149,990 | $46,190 | 3.25 times | 110 | 0.28 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $124,990 | $38,520 | 3.24 times | 140 | 0.4 |
| Binghamton, NY | $160,440 | $49,460 | 3.24 times | 120 | 0.31 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $162,000 | $49,990 | 3.24 times | 5,930 | 1.06 |
| Rochester, NY | $165,140 | $51,210 | 3.22 times | 1,220 | 0.6 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $158,750 | $49,430 | 3.21 times | 1,270 | 0.41 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $163,090 | $50,790 | 3.21 times | 1,200 | 0.55 |
| Syracuse, NY | $170,090 | $52,990 | 3.21 times | 640 | 0.52 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Source: BLS OEWS BLS, May 2025, SOC 11-2022 and SOC 00-0000, matching metro areas. The ratio is our arithmetic on those published medians, not a BLS statistic.
Change since the prior BLS release
| Reference period | Median |
|---|---|
| May 2024 | $138,060 |
| May 2025 | $148,270 |
| Difference | +$10,210 (+7.4%) |
Two published BLS values, shown as released. Not annualized, not adjusted for inflation, and BLS metro boundaries and survey panels can differ between releases.
What is inside the BLS pay figure
For construction and commissioning hires, separate expense reimbursements and overtime from straight-time pay. Check a project bonus on its actual terms. Guaranteed pay and production incentives count in BLS wages; discretionary nonproduction bonuses do not.
| Component | In the BLS figure? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate and guaranteed pay | Included | BLS counts the "base rate" and "guaranteed pay". |
| Production and incentive pay | Included | BLS counts "incentive pay including commissions and production bonuses". |
| On-call pay | Included | BLS lists "on-call pay" and "hazardous-duty pay" as wages. |
| Overtime pay matters here | Left out | BLS excludes "overtime pay". Straight-time pay only. |
| Shift differentials | Left out | BLS excludes "shift differentials", so night and weekend premiums are not in the figure. |
| Project-completion and discretionary bonuses matters here | Depends on the terms | Guaranteed pay and production incentives are included. Discretionary nonproduction bonuses are excluded. Check how the payment is defined. |
| Per diem, travel and relocation matters here | Left out | BLS does not name these as wages. They are expense reimbursements and are not in the figure. |
| Benefits and employer costs | Left out | BLS excludes "employer costs for supplementary benefits". |
Recruiter's read
Qualitative, not from BLS data.
Business Development Director, Data Center candidates are usually screened on new logos; campus pre-leasing; partnerships.
We usually find them through developers; colos; OEMs. We contact working people directly rather than relying on job applications.
Questions
What is the median pay for Business Development Director, Data Center?
The BLS median annual wage for Sales Managers nationally is $148,270 (BLS, May 2025).
What range do most Business Development Director, Data Center earn?
Per BLS, the middle half earned $100,360 to $207,340, and 10% earned less than $73,170.
Is this the exact job title?
Sales Managers is a broader occupation based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
How many people are employed in this occupation?
BLS estimates 637,080 jobs nationally in Sales Managers across all industries.
What do BLS wages leave out?
They leave out overtime, shift differentials, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation. Base pay, guaranteed pay, on-call pay and production-based incentive pay are included.
Hiring Market Brief
A one-page brief for Business Development Director, Data Center: BLS pay, mapping and caveats.
Hiring Business Development Director, Data Center?
Pay is one input. Scope, license and travel decide whether the person says yes.
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- Methodology
What the published rows say about Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States
Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States is represented here by Sales Managers, SOC 11-2022, in the May 2025 OEWS release. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, data Center Headhunters uses the broader crosswalk for this title; the occupation row, rather than a separate survey of Business Development Director, Data Center, supplies the figures on this page. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, the published annual median is $148,270 and the middle-half endpoints are $100,360 and $207,340.
The Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States middle-half band spans $106,980 on the annual basis. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, its lower quarter-to-median distance is $47,910, compared with $59,070 from the median to the upper quarter. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, the upper interval is at least as wide as the other interval in this row. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, for an offer against this Business Development Director, Data Center crosswalk, these are published reference points, not experience grades; the width does not establish a reason for differences between individual workers.
Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States can also be compared with New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where the annual median for Sales Managers is $215,150 in May 2025. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, this comparison metro is selected by published occupation employment, not by a national geographic distance. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, the Business Development Director, Data Center crosswalk comparison differs by $66,880 from the the United States median.
Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States can also be compared with Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, where the annual median for Sales Managers is $132,330 in May 2025. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, this comparison metro is selected by published occupation employment, not by a national geographic distance. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, the Business Development Director, Data Center crosswalk comparison differs by $15,940 from the the United States median.
Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States has no local industry-by-occupation wage breakdown in the loaded OEWS rows. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, the highest published national industry medians loaded for SOC 11-2022 are Pharmacies and Drug Retailers at $310,750 and Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation at $297,570. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, these May 2025 observations describe the national Sales Managers occupation in those industries, not the pay of data center employers in the United States; they cannot support a local industry ranking.
The Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States matched median changed from $138,060 in May 2024 to $148,270 in May 2025, a difference of $10,210 up. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, both observations use SOC 11-2022, area code 99 and the same annual wage basis. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, this Business Development Director, Data Center comparison reports the released values without adjusting for inflation, annualizing the change or attributing it to a particular employer.
Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States uses the OEWS straight-time wage definition, not a complete cost-to-employ budget. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, for an offer mapped to Sales Managers, separate overtime, shift differentials and expense reimbursements from the annual figures for the United States; BLS excludes those categories. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, on-call pay, guaranteed pay and production incentives are included under the wage definition. For Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States, no Business Development Director, Data Center-specific per diem, travel allowance or relocation amount is observed in this row, so this May 2025 page adds no dollar allowance on top.
Questions about Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States
Which BLS row supports Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States?
Business Development Director, Data Center is mapped to SOC 11-2022, Sales Managers; the May 2025 the United States annual median is $148,270. The mapping is broader, not a separate survey of this niche title.
Does the the United States figure show all offer costs for Business Development Director, Data Center?
Business Development Director, Data Center pay in the United States uses straight-time OEWS wages. Overtime and shift differentials are excluded; on-call and guaranteed pay are included. No allowance for travel or relocation is added to this 11-2022 observation.
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- methodology
Nearest-area selection uses Census Gazetteer internal points, not road distance. Source: 2025 Census Gazetteer.