Department chairperson vs director of student affairs

The differences between department chairpeople and directors of student affairs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a department chairperson and a director of student affairs. Additionally, a department chairperson has an average salary of $98,438, which is higher than the $74,804 average annual salary of a director of student affairs.

The top three skills for a department chairperson include curriculum development, professional development and classroom management. The most important skills for a director of student affairs are student affairs, student services, and alumni.

Department chairperson vs director of student affairs overview

	Department Chairperson	Director Of Student Affairs
Yearly salary	$98,438	$74,804
Hourly rate	$47.33	$35.96
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	33,511	22,875
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a department chairperson do?

A Department Chairperson is a faculty member who provides academic and administrative leadership to an academic department. They exercise leadership in recruiting and retaining capable faculty, communicate departmental needs and desires to the Dean and Provost, and coordinate the academic advisement process.

What does a director of student affairs do?

A director of student affairs will oversee student clubs, manage student activities and budgetary information, and work with students to provide referrals for counseling and community services. Your duties typically include planning and arranging recreational, cultural, and social activities of different student groups, evaluating programs and providing recommendations for improvements, and scheduling events. As the student affairs director, it is your responsibility to organize and conduct an orientation program for new students and coordinate the publication of the student affairs calendar.

Department chairperson vs director of student affairs salary

Department chairpeople and directors of student affairs have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Department Chairperson	Director Of Student Affairs
Average salary	$98,438	$74,804
Salary range	Between $50,000 And $191,000	Between $44,000 And $125,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Marshall University	Pacifi
Best paying industry	Finance	Education

Differences between department chairperson and director of student affairs education

There are a few differences between a department chairperson and a director of student affairs in terms of educational background:

	Department Chairperson	Director Of Student Affairs
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common major	Education	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Department chairperson vs director of student affairs demographics

Here are the differences between department chairpeople' and directors of student affairs' demographics:

	Department Chairperson	Director Of Student Affairs
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5%	Male, 48.2% Female, 51.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.5% Asian, 4.2% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 4.4% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between department chairperson and director of student affairs duties and responsibilities

Department chairperson example responsibilities.

Manage the club's Facebook/Twitter accounts.
Lead meetings with ESL department teachers in which teachers collaborate on unit plan ideas, classroom strategies and student needs.
Manage the development of an alumni newsletter and coordinate with alumni to provide relevant content.
Manage both individual and organizational achievements for the members through involvement with the community, philanthropies, campus involvement, and scholarship
Negotiate and obtain clinical sites for PN and ADN programs.
Develop and deliver dynamic, rigorous lessons for high school economics classes.

Director of student affairs example responsibilities.

Provide resources and professional development opportunities to alumni to ensure engagement and a connection to Rasmussen.
Develop yearly FERPA training to increase knowledge and compliance with the law.
Develop CRM, print, website, and social media campaigns to enhance recruitment.
Open new culinary school from initial build-out to include initial program design and approval.
Direct campus through application process, site visits, and approval for institutional ABHES accreditation.
Coordinate events and catering services including divisional meetings, outings, student dinners, and other VPSA events.

Department chairperson vs director of student affairs skills

Common department chairperson skills

Curriculum Development, 15%
Professional Development, 14%
Classroom Management, 13%
Rehabilitation, 7%
Student Learning, 5%
Colleges, 4%

Common director of student affairs skills

Student Affairs, 16%
Student Services, 7%
Alumni, 7%
Professional Development, 6%
Financial Aid, 5%
Student Organizations, 5%

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Department Chairperson vs Director Of Student Affairs

Updated January 8, 2025

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