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The differences between directors of advanced technology and technical directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a director of advanced technology, becoming a technical director takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a director of advanced technology has an average salary of $138,235, which is higher than the $131,719 average annual salary of a technical director.
The top three skills for a director of advanced technology include cloud, business development and R. The most important skills for a technical director are business development, architecture, and technical expertise.
| Director Of Advanced Technology | Technical Director | |
| Yearly salary | $138,235 | $131,719 |
| Hourly rate | $66.46 | $63.33 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 70,883 | 77,550 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 2 |
A director of advanced technology spearheads and oversees the integration and implementation of new systems and technologies in an organization. They primarily take the lead in setting goals and protocols, establishing timelines, overseeing budgets, hiring new members of the workforce, managing different teams, conducting research and analyses, and reviewing reports, solving issues and concerns if any would arise. They have the power to make significant decisions, delegate responsibilities among teams or managers, and negotiate contracts with external parties, building positive relationships in the process. Moreover, a director of advanced technology implements policies and regulations to ensure an efficient workflow.
A technical director is responsible for monitoring the technical efficiency of operations. Technical directors inspect audio and visual equipment, lighting systems for productions, and other technical processes. They ensure that all the equipment is in proper working condition, identify and troubleshoot defects, and deliver high-quality project results. They also monitor expenses, forecast sales reports, and create cost estimates for the systems needed for the project completion, following the clients' specifications to gain satisfaction. A technical director must have excellent communication and decision-making skills to manage operational processes with maximum accuracy.
Directors of advanced technology and technical directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director Of Advanced Technology | Technical Director | |
| Average salary | $138,235 | $131,719 |
| Salary range | Between $93,000 And $204,000 | Between $86,000 And $200,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Edwards Lifesciences | Nike |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a director of advanced technology and a technical director in terms of educational background:
| Director Of Advanced Technology | Technical Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between directors of advanced technology' and technical directors' demographics:
| Director Of Advanced Technology | Technical Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.1% Female, 9.9% | Male, 82.4% Female, 17.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 12.7% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 14% |