Average Top Research and Development Executive Salary in Georgia for 2026
A top research and development executive in Georgia earns about 137,400 GEL a year. That's 73% above the national average of 79,500 GEL.
Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in Georgia sit around 63,500 GEL a year, while the very top stretches to 217,900 GEL. Everything on this page is in lari (GEL, symbol ₾), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.
The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in Georgia, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.
How much does a top research and development executive make in Georgia?
A typical top research and development executive working in Georgia brings home around 11,450 GEL a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 63,500 GEL, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 217,900 GEL for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.
The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior top research and development executive working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around.
How top research and development executive pay ranges in Georgia
A good way to think about salary in Georgia is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all top research and development executives in Georgia earn less than 148,300 GEL a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".
Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 96,540 GEL (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 197,600 GEL (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of top research and development executives sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.
The very lowest reported salaries sit around 63,500 GEL. The highest stretch to 217,900 GEL, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.
Top research and development executive pay by experience in Georgia
Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a top research and development executive in Georgia, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical top research and development executive salary changes as you move through the career ladder.
- 0-2 Years72,120 GEL
- 2-5 Years+34% from previous96,720 GEL
- 5-10 Years+47% from previous142,300 GEL
- 10-15 Years+21% from previous172,400 GEL
- 15-20 Years+9% from previous187,300 GEL
- 20+ Years+9% from previous204,700 GEL
The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 47%. That is the point at which a top research and development executive typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.
Top research and development executive pay by education in Georgia
Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving top research and development executive pay in Georgia. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.
Below is the average top research and development executive salary in Georgia broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.
- Bachelor's Degree82,200 GEL
- Master's Degree+57% from previous129,000 GEL
- PhD+66% from previous214,000 GEL
Top research and development executive gender pay gap in Georgia
The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and Georgia is no exception. Male top research and development executives in Georgia earn an average of 143,200 GEL a year, while female top research and development executives earn around 128,900 GEL. That works out to a 11% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.
A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.
Top Research and Development Executive gender pay gap
10%
Men earn this much more than women on average in Georgia.
Pay raises for a top research and development executive in Georgia
Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.
A typical worker doing this role in Georgia sees a raise of about 11% every 28 months, which works out to roughly 5% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.
Across all jobs in Georgia, the national average raise is around 5% every 28 months.
By industry
Industries with the highest pay raises in Georgia:
- Banking
- Energy
- Information Technology
- Healthcare
- Travel
- Construction
- Education2%
By experience level
Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.
- Junior Level3% - 5%
- Mid-Career
- Senior Level
- Top Management
Top research and development executive bonus rates in Georgia
Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.
68% of top research and development executives in Georgia reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a top research and development executive a moderate-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.
Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 5% to 9% of base salary. The remaining 32% of top research and development executives reported no bonus at all over the same period.
Which careers pay bonuses in Georgia
Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.
- Finance
- Architecture
- Sales
- Business Development
- Marketing / Advertising
- Information Technology
- Healthcare
- Insurance
- Customer Service
- Human Resources
- Construction
- Transport
- Hospitality
Top research and development executive: public vs private sector pay
Public-sector pay in Georgia is about 20% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.
Public vs private pay gap
17%
Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in Georgia on average.
Top research and development executive salary by city in Georgia
Top research and development executive pay is not even across Georgia. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities in the dataset, followed by the full location table.
- Tbilisi
- Batumi
| Location | Type | Average | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tbilisi | City | 157,600 GEL | 169,000 GEL | 70,880-247,800 GEL |
| Batumi | City | 143,200 GEL | 154,700 GEL | 66,480-227,600 GEL |
Top Research and Development Executive in Georgia: FAQs
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How much does a top research and development executive make per month in Georgia?
A top research and development executive in Georgia earns about 11,450 GEL a month before tax, based on an annual average of 137,400 GEL.
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What's the salary range for a top research and development executive in Georgia?
Entry-level top research and development executives in Georgia start near 63,500 GEL. Top-end pay reaches around 217,900 GEL. The middle 50% of earners sit between 96,540 and 197,600 GEL.
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Is the median top research and development executive salary in Georgia higher or lower than the average?
The median is 148,300 GEL, higher than the average of 137,400 GEL. Half of top research and development executives in Georgia earn below the median, half earn above it.
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What's the gender pay gap for top research and development executives in Georgia?
Men working as a top research and development executive in Georgia earn around 11% more than women on average (143,200 vs 128,900 GEL a year).
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Do top research and development executives in Georgia get bonuses?
About 68% of top research and development executives in Georgia reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 5% to 9% of base salary.
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Do top research and development executives earn more in the public or private sector in Georgia?
In Georgia, the public sector pays a top research and development executive about 20% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.
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How often do top research and development executives in Georgia get a pay raise?
A top research and development executive in Georgia sees a raise of around 11% every 28 months, equivalent to roughly 5% a year.