Research and Development Salary Overview
Research and Development professionals at SaaS companies drive innovation by exploring new technologies, prototyping product capabilities, and translating research into scalable product features. They collaborate with Data Scientists on applied research, Product Managers on roadmap prioritization, and Engineering Managers on feasibility and delivery planning.
R&D compensation reflects highly specialized skills and a longer time horizon for value delivery. Senior R&D roles often report to a CTO and may include researcher-track or principal engineer-level compensation. View all SaaS salary benchmarks.
Detailed Research and Development Compensation Breakdown
Percentile Band | Average Base Salary | # of salaries |
|---|---|---|
| Top 25% | $106,107 | 16 salaries |
| Middle 50% | $59,163 | 32 salaries |
| Bottom 25% | $42,685 | 16 salaries |
What Drives Higher R&D Pay?
Advanced degrees (PhD) in relevant fields (ML, AI, systems, physics)
Published research and demonstrated domain expertise
Applied AI/ML experience with direct product impact
Industry vertical — AI-first SaaS companies pay significant premiums
R&D Compensation Structure
Base salary is the primary component (75–85% of total comp)
Equity grants substantial at AI/ML-driven SaaS (0.1–0.5%)
Research bonuses tied to IP creation and publication milestones
Conference attendance and publication budgets standard
