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The differences between county administrators 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 county administrator, 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 $89,338 average annual salary of a county administrator.
The top three skills for a county administrator include county government, service delivery and federal laws. The most important skills for an executive director are oversight, patients, and customer service.
| County Administrator | Executive Director | |
| Yearly salary | $89,338 | $127,956 |
| Hourly rate | $42.95 | $61.52 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 51,060 | 97,471 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 52 | 49 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A county administrator oversees the day-to-day activities of a county government, ensuring operations run smoothly and efficiently. Their responsibilities often entail developing and reviewing plans for different projects, assessing the budget for various departments, implementing programs, and communicating with department heads and the public. They also manage and supervise administrative staff, attend events like council meetings and public dialogues, and take part in relief operations during emergencies.
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.
County administrators and executive directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| County Administrator | Executive Director | |
| Average salary | $89,338 | $127,956 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $142,000 | Between $76,000 And $213,000 |
| Highest paying City | Stockton, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | New York |
| Best paying company | Icma-rc | Genentech |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a county administrator and an executive director in terms of educational background:
| County Administrator | Executive Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between county administrators' and executive directors' demographics:
| County Administrator | Executive Director | |
| Average age | 52 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.0% Female, 48.0% | Male, 47.0% Female, 53.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 7.5% White, 76.6% 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% |