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The differences between city managers and executive directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a city manager, becoming an executive director takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an executive director has an average salary of $127,956, which is higher than the $76,188 average annual salary of a city manager.
The top three skills for a city manager include human resources, economic development and oversight. The most important skills for an executive director are oversight, patients, and customer service.
| City Manager | Executive Director | |
| Yearly salary | $76,188 | $127,956 |
| Hourly rate | $36.63 | $61.52 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 8,928 | 97,471 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 52 | 49 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A city manager is responsible for monitoring city operations and manage staff to advise programs and initiatives for the benefits of the citizens. City managers oversee community projects and allocate adequate resources to support functions and societal activities. They also serve as a liaison to clear political disputes and officer conflicts. A city manager attends community events and meetings to represent the city, provide progress updates, and coordinate with other local organizations for sponsorship and funding events.
Executive directors are top management employees who usually function as a chief executive officer. This role is usually seen in non-profit organizations. Executive directors provide strategic direction to the organization, and they ensure that the organization's goals are actualized. They provide guidance to the employees and ensure that the employees have the organization's advocacies at the center of every project or program. They oversee the policies of the organization and create strategies that will bring the organization's programs forward. Executive directors are also responsible for making crucial decisions for the betterment of the organization.
City managers and executive directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| City Manager | Executive Director | |
| Average salary | $76,188 | $127,956 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $142,000 | Between $76,000 And $213,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hayward, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Apple | Genentech |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Finance |
There are a few differences between a city manager and an executive director in terms of educational background:
| City Manager | Executive Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between city managers' and executive directors' demographics:
| City Manager | Executive Director | |
| Average age | 52 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.6% Female, 30.4% | Male, 47.0% Female, 53.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 7.6% White, 76.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 5.0% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 10% |