Director of exhibits vs director of special events

The differences between directors of exhibits and directors of special events can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a director of exhibits, becoming a director of special events takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a director of exhibits has an average salary of $66,960, which is higher than the $63,671 average annual salary of a director of special events.

The top three skills for a director of exhibits include exhibit design, event management and trade shows. The most important skills for a director of special events are event planning, alumni, and event management.

Director of exhibits vs director of special events overview

	Director Of Exhibits	Director Of Special Events
Yearly salary	$66,960	$63,671
Hourly rate	$32.19	$30.61
Growth rate	12%	8%
Number of jobs	5,837	23,252
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age	44	42
Years of experience	6	4

Director of exhibits vs director of special events salary

Directors of exhibits and directors of special events have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Director Of Exhibits	Director Of Special Events
Average salary	$66,960	$63,671
Salary range	Between $44,000 And $101,000	Between $35,000 And $113,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	NRDC
Best paying industry	-	Professional

Differences between director of exhibits and director of special events education

There are a few differences between a director of exhibits and a director of special events in terms of educational background:

	Director Of Exhibits	Director Of Special Events
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common major	Fine Arts	Business
Most common college	Harvard University	Stanford University

Director of exhibits vs director of special events demographics

Here are the differences between directors of exhibits' and directors of special events' demographics:

	Director Of Exhibits	Director Of Special Events
Average age	44	42
Gender ratio	Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8%	Male, 25.1% Female, 74.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 76.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	13%	16%

Differences between director of exhibits and director of special events duties and responsibilities

Director of exhibits example responsibilities.

Manage domestic and international travel arrangements including transportation, lodging, and logistics for individuals and groups utilizing travel management systems.
Create division budget, and report month to month ROI.
Organize the RFP process for selection of audio-visual, decorators, hotels and other vendors.
Develop RFP's and RFQ's for all major projects and maintain a positive relationship with vendors.
Provide strategic leadership and planning for the environmental nonprofit's commercial energy efficiency services, program design, and program implementation.
Used Marriott computer applications to manage and administer events.

Director of special events example responsibilities.

Manage the communications/special events budget to ensure ROI in accordance with the communication plan.
Restructure the budget plan for the department, achieving significant cost reductions while increasing ROI.
Organize, execute and manage all VIP hospitality and auxiliary celebrity events.
Manage all aspects of these events and act as onsite manager to ensure meeting are delivered effectively and professionally.
Develop a BEO form to promote effective communication between front of house and back of house.
Collaborate with catering to create BEO s and assist clients with menu selection for meetings and events.

Director of exhibits vs director of special events skills

Common director of exhibits skills

Exhibit Design, 42%
Event Management, 9%
Trade Shows, 7%
Contemporary Art, 7%
Contract Negotiations, 6%
Educational Programs, 4%

Common director of special events skills

Event Planning, 13%
Alumni, 11%
Event Management, 7%
Event Logistics, 6%
Audio Visual, 4%
Press Releases, 3%

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Director Of Exhibits
Director Of Exhibits vs Director Of Special Events

Updated January 8, 2025

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