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The differences between department directors and nurse managers 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 director and a nurse manager. Additionally, a department director has an average salary of $97,804, which is higher than the $83,684 average annual salary of a nurse manager.
The top three skills for a department director include patient care, patients and healthcare. The most important skills for a nurse manager are patients, home health, and CPR.
| Department Director | Nurse Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $97,804 | $83,684 |
| Hourly rate | $47.02 | $40.23 |
| Growth rate | 28% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 73,424 | 380,264 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
The primary role of nurse managers is to supervise the nursing staff in a clinical or hospital setting. They are the ones who are in charge of patient care, setting work schedules, and making budgetary and management decisions. They are also responsible for making personnel decisions, coordinating meetings, and creating safe environments that promote patient engagement and aid the healthcare team's work. Their role is vital in promoting a culture in which team members contribute to professional growth and patient outcomes.
Department directors and nurse managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Department Director | Nurse Manager | |
| Average salary | $97,804 | $83,684 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $148,000 | Between $60,000 And $115,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Anna Jaques Hospital | BD |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a department director and a nurse manager in terms of educational background:
| Department Director | Nurse Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Most common major | Business | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between department directors' and nurse managers' demographics:
| Department Director | Nurse Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.8% Female, 47.2% | Male, 13.5% Female, 86.5% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 7.6% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |