Clinical manager vs clinical director

The differences between clinical managers and clinical 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 manager and a clinical director. Additionally, a clinical director has an average salary of $96,497, which is higher than the $84,066 average annual salary of a clinical manager.

The top three skills for a clinical manager include patients, customer service and home health. The most important skills for a clinical director are patients, patient care, and physical therapy.

Clinical manager vs clinical director overview

	Clinical Manager	Clinical Director
Yearly salary	$84,066	$96,497
Hourly rate	$40.42	$46.39
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	81,863	83,232
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a clinical manager do?

A clinical manager is responsible for monitoring medical procedures and administrative duties to ensure the smooth flow of operations in a healthcare facility. Clinical managers manage the facility's staffing needs, evaluate budget reports, assist healthcare professionals on administering medical duties, and develop strategic procedures to optimize treatments and maximize productivity. A clinical manager enforces strict sanitary and safety regulations for everyone's strict compliance. They also need to have excellent knowledge of the medical industry to promote medical processes and provide the highest quality care.

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.

Clinical manager vs clinical director salary

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

	Clinical Manager	Clinical Director
Average salary	$84,066	$96,497
Salary range	Between $55,000 And $128,000	Between $63,000 And $145,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Genentech	Sutro Biopharma
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between clinical manager and clinical director education

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

	Clinical Manager	Clinical Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Clinical manager vs clinical director demographics

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

	Clinical Manager	Clinical Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 22.6% Female, 77.4%	Male, 35.2% Female, 64.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	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%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between clinical manager and clinical director duties and responsibilities

Clinical manager example responsibilities.

Track and manage IRB approvals.
Lead a team of 25 patient service coordinators and receptionists.
Manage and lead teams consisting of multiple internal departments as well as CRO and other vendors.
Manage data for research project billing and accountability for drug study product in accordance with FDA regulations.
Manage studies in association with the lead CRA to ensure all project expectations and milestones are meet.
Manage all facets of daily operations relating to imaging services, radiation therapy, and medical oncology services.

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.

Clinical manager vs clinical director skills

Common clinical manager skills

Patients, 19%
Customer Service, 8%
Home Health, 6%
Direct Patient Care, 5%
Quality Patient Care, 5%
Patient Education, 3%

Common clinical director skills

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

Clinical Manager vs. similar jobs

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Clinical Manager
Clinical Manager vs Clinical Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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