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The differences between athletic directors and coaches can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an athletic director and a coach. Additionally, an athletic director has an average salary of $71,311, which is higher than the $42,716 average annual salary of a coach.
The top three skills for an athletic director include student athletes, NCAA and physical education. The most important skills for a coach are customer service, CPR, and food handling.
| Athletic Director | Coach | |
| Yearly salary | $71,311 | $42,716 |
| Hourly rate | $34.28 | $20.54 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 20% |
| Number of jobs | 11,759 | 16,688 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 47 | 36 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An athletics director is an administrative professional who is responsible for managing all activities related to the athletic program of a school, university, or college. The director must ensure that the school follows athletic rules and regulations as well as provide direction and guidance for its athletic program. This director must work with coaches to file reports on the progress of each of the athletic teams. The director must also assist in hiring coaches and athletic staff and should mediate disputes between coaches and athletes.
The main responsibility of a coach is to motivate an individual or an entire team. Coaches are focused on improving the performance and skills of athletes by conducting training sessions, coordinating practice drills, and providing guidance. Their work is conducted both on and off the field - not only while an athletic event is in session. Coaches are sometimes tasked with recruitment activities in order to fill a team's roster to help them succeed. Other duties of a coach include fundraising, overseeing facilities, and promoting a safe environment.
Athletic directors and coaches have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Athletic Director | Coach | |
| Average salary | $71,311 | $42,716 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $126,000 | Between $27,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Alameda, CA | Piscataway, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Kern Community College District | AEA Investors |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Technology |
There are a few differences between an athletic director and a coach in terms of educational background:
| Athletic Director | Coach | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between athletic directors' and coaches' demographics:
| Athletic Director | Coach | |
| Average age | 47 | 36 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 78.2% Female, 21.8% | Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 4.3% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 8% |