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The differences between center directors and program directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a center director, becoming a program director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a center director has an average salary of $106,505, which is higher than the $80,664 average annual salary of a program director.
The top three skills for a center director include customer service, oversight and proficiency testing. The most important skills for a program director are oversight, social work, and patients.
| Center Director | Program Director | |
| Yearly salary | $106,505 | $80,664 |
| Hourly rate | $51.20 | $38.78 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 62,348 | 82,810 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A center director is responsible for ensuring and maintaining the efficiency of child care facilities. Their role is to conduct various assessments, ensure that all aspects adhere to federal requirements, develop programs and supplemental activities in collaboration with child care experts, recruit and hire an efficient workforce, and train staff for professional development. Furthermore, a center director is also responsible for managing budgets, handling issues, meeting parents or guardians to discuss the scope of programs or any other concerns, and implementing policies and regulations.
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.
Center directors and program directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Center Director | Program Director | |
| Average salary | $106,505 | $80,664 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $172,000 | Between $50,000 And $129,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, DE | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Georgia |
| Best paying company | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a center director and a program director in terms of educational background:
| Center Director | Program Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between center directors' and program directors' demographics:
| Center Director | Program Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.0% Female, 71.0% | Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 4.4% White, 64.8% 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% |