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The differences between academic directors and finance aid directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an academic director and a finance aid director. Additionally, an academic director has an average salary of $122,669, which is higher than the $58,644 average annual salary of a finance aid director.
The top three skills for an academic director include professional development, curriculum development and student performance. The most important skills for a finance aid director are financial aid programs, title iv, and state regulations.
| Academic Director | Finance Aid Director | |
| Yearly salary | $122,669 | $58,644 |
| Hourly rate | $58.98 | $28.19 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 12,420 | 98,523 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
The academic director is the person that leads the school or university in an active stance in education. The vitality of the level of education rests on the shoulders of the director. The academic director is also responsible for hiring faculty staff, working with teachers and professors to create and develop the school curriculum, work with the school administrator regarding student affairs and help in the administrative duties in line with the educational institution. Also included in the academic director's task is assessing incoming students, processing grades, and attending to students' needs and welfare.
A finance aid director oversees finance aid officers that deal with student loans, fees, scholarship grants, insurance, and other loans. They organize cash flow for all funds available. They analyze applications, grant scholarships and loans to students, and provide information on benefits and restrictions included with financial aid. They also help students resolve loan defaults or underpayments. They must have good communication skills to facilitate talks between students and universities.
Academic directors and finance aid directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Academic Director | Finance Aid Director | |
| Average salary | $122,669 | $58,644 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $191,000 | Between $37,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Emory Healthcare | Commonwealth |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Education |
There are a few differences between an academic director and a finance aid director in terms of educational background:
| Academic Director | Finance Aid Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between academic directors' and finance aid directors' demographics:
| Academic Director | Finance Aid Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1% | Male, 30.9% Female, 69.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 4.3% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 4.4% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |