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The differences between academic directors and program 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 program director. Additionally, an academic director has an average salary of $122,669, which is higher than the $80,664 average annual salary of a program director.
The top three skills for an academic director include professional development, curriculum development and student performance. The most important skills for a program director are oversight, social work, and patients.
| Academic Director | Program Director | |
| Yearly salary | $122,669 | $80,664 |
| Hourly rate | $58.98 | $38.78 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 12,420 | 82,810 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| 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.
Program directors are employees who oversee all aspects of a specific program in the company. They usually work in nonprofit organizations or are assigned to a department doing corporate social responsibility activities. Program directors ensure that the program is in line with the company's goals. They also ensure that the resources assigned to the program are properly managed and that all finances are accounted for. They create strategies to ensure the success of the program and communicate these to everyone involved. They lead the implementation and evaluation of the program.
Academic directors and program directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Academic Director | Program Director | |
| Average salary | $122,669 | $80,664 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $191,000 | Between $50,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Georgia |
| Best paying company | Emory Healthcare | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Technology |
There are a few differences between an academic director and a program director in terms of educational background:
| Academic Director | Program Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between academic directors' and program directors' demographics:
| Academic Director | Program Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1% | Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6% |
| 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, 8.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 14% |