Clinical director vs wellness director

The differences between clinical directors and wellness 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 wellness director. Additionally, a clinical director has an average salary of $96,497, which is higher than the $73,888 average annual salary of a wellness director.

The top three skills for a clinical director include patients, patient care and physical therapy. The most important skills for a wellness director are quality care, home health, and direct supervision.

Clinical director vs wellness director overview

	Clinical Director	Wellness Director
Yearly salary	$96,497	$73,888
Hourly rate	$46.39	$35.52
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	83,232	31,522
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 wellness director do?

Typically working at gyms and health centers, a wellness coordinator utilizes their health and fitness expertise by designing and developing health programs involving workout and diet plans. Among their responsibilities include performing research and analysis to identify the clients' needs, gathering and analyzing information to determine the strengths and weaknesses of current programs, and implementing solutions against problem areas. They must also liaise with internal and external parties, coordinate staff, and develop strategies to optimize program operations, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction.

Clinical director vs wellness director salary

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

	Clinical Director	Wellness Director
Average salary	$96,497	$73,888
Salary range	Between $63,000 And $145,000	Between $42,000 And $127,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Hartford, CT
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	Connecticut
Best paying company	Sutro Biopharma	Emma Willard School
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between clinical director and wellness director education

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

	Clinical Director	Wellness Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Clinical director vs wellness director demographics

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

	Clinical Director	Wellness Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 35.2% Female, 64.8%	Male, 23.0% Female, 77.0%
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, 11.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 7.5% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between clinical director and wellness 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.

Wellness director example responsibilities.

Manage resident and facility accounts, budgets, social security applications, and Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
Provide staff training and oversight on medication administration and direct patient care.
Provide oversight to ensure appropriate infection control procedures are follow by staff.
Assist in keeping key staff in compliance with CPR certification.
Implement disease management programs for hypertension, diabetes and back injuries.
Process payroll, hire, dismiss, and education to staff.

Clinical director vs wellness director skills

Common clinical director skills

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

Common wellness director skills

Quality Care, 15%
Home Health, 14%
Direct Supervision, 14%
CPR, 7%
State Regulations, 6%
Oversight, 6%

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Clinical Director
Clinical Director vs Wellness Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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