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The differences between directors of music and band directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a director of music and a band director. Additionally, a band director has an average salary of $52,443, which is higher than the $48,096 average annual salary of a director of music.
The top three skills for a director of music include music program, music theory and general music. The most important skills for a band director are classroom management, band program, and concert band.
| Director Of Music | Band Director | |
| Yearly salary | $48,096 | $52,443 |
| Hourly rate | $23.12 | $25.21 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 7,394 | 5,378 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A music director is responsible for leading the musical aspects of a theatre production, monitoring the performance of musical groups to ensure the audience's satisfaction, as well as smooth show transitions. Music directors evaluate the production's concept and select the best music pieces. They must have excellent knowledge of the music industry, especially on training music groups to establish the desired quality performance result. A music director must have excellent communication and organizational skills, cooperating with the whole production team to create a fun, engaging show.
Band Directors help their musicians prepare for their showcase events. They lead orchestras or other musical groups during musical performances or recording sessions.
Directors of music and band directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director Of Music | Band Director | |
| Average salary | $48,096 | $52,443 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $84,000 | Between $28,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Phoenix, AZ | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Arizona | Alaska |
| Best paying company | York Prep School | Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School |
| Best paying industry | Media | Education |
There are a few differences between a director of music and a band director in terms of educational background:
| Director Of Music | Band Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Music | General Education, Specific Areas |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between directors of music' and band directors' demographics:
| Director Of Music | Band Director | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.3% Female, 35.7% | Male, 71.4% Female, 28.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 5.3% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 5.3% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 30% | 30% |