Clinical director vs department director

The differences between clinical directors and department directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a clinical director and a department director. Additionally, a department director has an average salary of $97,804, which is higher than the $96,497 average annual salary of a clinical director.

The top three skills for a clinical director include patients, patient care and physical therapy. The most important skills for a department director are patient care, patients, and healthcare.

Clinical director vs department director overview

	Clinical Director	Department Director
Yearly salary	$96,497	$97,804
Hourly rate	$46.39	$47.02
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	83,232	73,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a clinical director do?

A clinical director is a managing professional who manages the work of healthcare providers to ensure quality patient care is achieved. Clinical directors are responsible for organizational tasks such as adjusting staff schedules, explaining insurance benefits to the patients, and managing financial reports. They can work either in small clinics with a smaller workforce or larger hospitals with multiple departments. Clinical directors may also assist in the hiring process of healthcare providers and should establish a positive work environment.

What does a department director do?

A Department Director spearheads and oversees the operations of a department, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Although their responsibilities vary upon the functions of a department, they typically have the power to decide on projects and programs. Their responsibilities include setting goals, establishing budgets and guidelines, representing the department at meetings and media coverages, liaising with external business partners, managing staff, and monitoring the progress of operations. Moreover, a Department Director leads and encourages staff to reach goals while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Clinical director vs department director salary

Clinical directors and department directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Clinical Director	Department Director
Average salary	$96,497	$97,804
Salary range	Between $63,000 And $145,000	Between $64,000 And $148,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	New Jersey
Best paying company	Sutro Biopharma	Anna Jaques Hospital
Best paying industry	Health Care	Finance

Differences between clinical director and department director education

There are a few differences between a clinical director and a department director in terms of educational background:

	Clinical Director	Department Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Nursing	Business
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	University of Pennsylvania

Clinical director vs department director demographics

Here are the differences between clinical directors' and department directors' demographics:

	Clinical Director	Department Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 35.2% Female, 64.8%	Male, 52.8% Female, 47.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 8.1% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 7.9% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between clinical director and department director duties and responsibilities

Clinical director example responsibilities.

Develop distinctive ambulatory strategies to achieve and sustain competitive healthcare advantage.
Manage and assist with data collection and input for MDS.
Manage quality of documentation through education and electronic review of clinical processes utilizing HCHB EMR.
Manage front office, marketing, and communication -demonstrated/supervise exercises for patients -Developed instructional packets for home exercise programs
Manage projects and ambulatory system initiatives, and collaborate with system leadership teams to ensure EMR alignment with all regulatory requirements.
Experience in GCP, FDA audits, and regulatory guidance review and implementation.

Department director example responsibilities.

Manage and direct bureau operations, and provide oversight of criminal investigations of statewide importance.
Establish and develop relationships with ERP and consulting vendors with the goal of maximizing comparative advantage and cost efficient solution development.
Ensure compliance with all CMS regulations.
Provide public education in the areas of fire department capabilities and history as well as CPR classes.
Follow up and coordination of rehabilitation services.
Cross-Train pre-operative and PACU staff to optimize efficiency.

Clinical director vs department director skills

Common clinical director skills

Patients, 18%
Patient Care, 11%
Physical Therapy, 5%
Social Work, 4%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Clinical Services, 3%

Common department director skills

Patient Care, 15%
Patients, 14%
Healthcare, 13%
Oversight, 8%
Human Resources, 5%
Payroll, 4%

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Clinical Director
Clinical Director vs Department Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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