Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between directors of economic development and managers of special events can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a director of economic development and a manager of special events. Additionally, a director of economic development has an average salary of $107,578, which is higher than the $56,716 average annual salary of a manager of special events.
The top three skills for a director of economic development include business development, project management and real estate. The most important skills for a manager of special events are customer service, event planning, and event management.
| Director Of Economic Development | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Yearly salary | $107,578 | $56,716 |
| Hourly rate | $51.72 | $27.27 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 55,938 | 15,818 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An economic development director develops and spearheads the implementation of economic development programs in a city. They usually work for the city government, although there are some who work for private companies. It is their responsibility to perform market research and analysis, developing strategies to help the city in building positive relationships with businesses and potential economic partners. Moreover, as an economic development director, they are also responsible for managing and directing staff, encouraging them to reach project goals while implementing policies and standards.
A manager of special events is responsible for organizing events and programs for a company and various organizations. Managers of special events monitor the event procedures from conceptualization to the actual execution. They analyze the event purpose, manage participants' list, coordinate with suppliers for resources, allocate budget accurately, and ensure that the program outlines and agendas are polished on time. A manager of special events must have excellent communication and organizational skills to deliver a successful event and resolve complications as they arise.
Directors of economic development and managers of special events have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director Of Economic Development | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Average salary | $107,578 | $56,716 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $180,000 | Between $31,000 And $101,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | AstraZeneca | ESPN |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a director of economic development and a manager of special events in terms of educational background:
| Director Of Economic Development | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between directors of economic development' and managers of special events' demographics:
| Director Of Economic Development | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.1% Female, 35.9% | Male, 29.7% Female, 70.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |