Director of HR.
Burlington.
$173,000
median salary, 2% above the national average
$135,000 to $225,000. Last updated April 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Burlington is 6% more expensive than the national average. For Director of HRs, that shakes out to a median of $173,000, with the full range spanning $135,000 to $225,000. Director of HR compensation scales with team size under management, scope of organizational responsibility, and track record of hiring and retaining talent. Know the range before you walk in.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $156,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$112,000
to $138,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$147,000
to $182,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$190,000
to $225,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$216,000
to $268,000
Salary trend
+4% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $110,000 to the total package.
Base
$173,000
Equity
$59,000
Bonus
$37,000
Signing
$14,000
Estimated total: $283,000
How Burlington compares
Burlington, VT
$173,000
Cost of living: 6% above average
National Average
$170,000
Burlington is $3,000 above
Director of HR salary by city
Salary by role in Burlington
What you should know
The Director of HR landscape in Burlington is not what most salary sites will tell you. Burlington is Vermont's largest city and a small but growing hub for technology, healthcare, and sustainable industries. The University of Vermont drives education and research employment. The city attracts remote workers and small tech companies seeking New England quality of life at lower costs than Boston. Director of HR compensation scales with team size under management, scope of organizational responsibility, and track record of hiring and retaining talent. Equity is a major component at roughly 28% of base — candidates should weight stock grants as heavily as salary when comparing offers. At the leadership level, the scope of the organization under management ($10M budget vs $100M+) drives the largest compensation variance.
Director of HRs progress Manager → Senior Manager → Director → Senior Director → VP → SVP → C-suite over 12 to 20 years. Each step adds org scope roughly 3x (manage 6 → 20 → 60 → 200 → 500+ people). The biggest inflection is Director → VP, which requires demonstrated P&L responsibility. For Director of HRs specifically, the seniority anchor means roughly 12+ years of experience and demonstrated P&L or strategic leadership. In Burlington, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Total compensation for Director of HRs runs roughly $257K at median when factoring base + equity (28% of base annually) + bonus (18% of base). Equity is the single largest non-base component — candidates should model vesting schedules (typically 4-year with 1-year cliff) and compare grant values across offers carefully. At management levels, variable compensation (bonus + LTIP) grows as a share of total — expect 30–50% variable at director and 50%+ variable at VP and above. And on the tax side: vermont's top income tax rate is 8.75%, one of the highest in the nation. Burlington has no city income tax, but the state burden requires careful salary planning. When someone quotes you $173,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Negotiate remote work flexibility. Burlington's lifestyle appeal is a retention tool, but employers know they must offer competitive pay to offset Vermont's high tax rate. The range for Director of HRs in Burlington runs from $135,000 to $225,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: SEC filings, H-1B LCA (DOL), BLS OES, 50+ job posting platforms. COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified April 8, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Fintech Product Manager in Burlington earns $172,000 (1% less)
- The highest-paying role in Burlington is Principal AI Research Scientist at $371,000
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