Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between assistant directors and coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an assistant director, becoming a coordinator takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an assistant director has an average salary of $63,063, which is higher than the $41,599 average annual salary of a coordinator.
The top three skills for an assistant director include customer service, CPR and child care. The most important skills for a coordinator are customer service, patients, and excellent organizational.
| Assistant Director | Coordinator | |
| Yearly salary | $63,063 | $41,599 |
| Hourly rate | $30.32 | $20.00 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 25,087 | 151,508 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 40 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 12 |
Assistant directors are employees in show business who directly support directors. They may be working on a film, television show, or theatre production. Assistant directors are the second-in-command on the set. They take over for the director when he/she or she is unable to work. Assistant directors should be familiar with the script and the scenes. They are usually heavily involved in the conception of the production. They ensure that the plans are executed well by assisting in the selection of the cast and crew, production sets, and other set providers. They also make sure that shoot days or performance days go without a hitch by ironing out all the details in advance and preparing alternatives.
Coordinators are responsible for liaising between the department they are assigned to and any other external party. They oversee projects or agreements. They are in charge of following through negotiations between the two parties regarding work. They see through the conduct of such contracts by ensuring that all terms are amenable to both parties. They maintain records and other necessary data and paperwork. They also ensure that office policy and guidelines are being followed. Coordinators also ensure that all projects are completed efficiently and effectively.
Assistant directors and coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant Director | Coordinator | |
| Average salary | $63,063 | $41,599 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $105,000 | Between $27,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Mayer Brown | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between an assistant director and a coordinator in terms of educational background:
| Assistant Director | Coordinator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between assistant directors' and coordinators' demographics:
| Assistant Director | Coordinator | |
| Average age | 40 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.3% Female, 61.7% | Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 6.4% White, 53.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 14% | 11% |