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The differences between directors of events and managers of special events can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a director of events, becoming a manager of special events takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a director of events has an average salary of $65,971, which is higher than the $56,716 average annual salary of a manager of special events.
The top three skills for a director of events include customer service, event management and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for a manager of special events are customer service, event planning, and event management.
| Director Of Events | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Yearly salary | $65,971 | $56,716 |
| Hourly rate | $31.72 | $27.27 |
| Growth rate | 18% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 8,520 | 15,818 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 38 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
An event director or director of the event is responsible for organizing a successful execution of an event. This job is demanding and involves a varied range of tasks and obligations, from planning and overseeing the cast and crew recruited, supervise training for effective execution of the event. They manage how to effectively deal with people from staff and crew to sponsors, and talents, especially in tight schedules and difficult circumstances. Moreover, the event director is the representative of the event when dealing with the benefactors of the event, media group for promotion coverage, and people outside the industry.
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 events and managers of special events have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director Of Events | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Average salary | $65,971 | $56,716 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $112,000 | Between $31,000 And $101,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | CrowdStrike | ESPN |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a director of events and a manager of special events in terms of educational background:
| Director Of Events | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | San Diego State University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between directors of events' and managers of special events' demographics:
| Director Of Events | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Average age | 38 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9% | Male, 29.7% Female, 70.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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% |