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The differences between directors of occupational therapy and nursing 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 occupational therapy and a nursing director. Additionally, a director of occupational therapy has an average salary of $88,320, which is higher than the $87,643 average annual salary of a nursing director.
The top three skills for a director of occupational therapy include occupational therapy, patients and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a nursing director are patients, term care, and home health.
| Director Of Occupational Therapy | Nursing Director | |
| Yearly salary | $88,320 | $87,643 |
| Hourly rate | $42.46 | $42.14 |
| Growth rate | 28% | 28% |
| Number of jobs | 46,434 | 76,956 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Associate Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A director of occupational therapy oversees the occupational therapy programs and projects in a medical or health facility. They have the authority to direct operations from planning to execution, establish budgets and schedules, set goals and protocols, and develop strategies to deliver quality care to clients. Their duties also entail performing extensive research and assessments, developing treatment plans for clients, reviewing reports, and coordinating with fellow experts. Additionally, as a director, it is essential to lead employees and implement policies and standards to ensure efficient services.
A nursing director's role is to oversee and evaluate all nurse staff in a hospital or organization, ensuring their efficiency at providing care towards patients. A nursing director's responsibilities mainly revolve around administrative tasks such as coordinating with physicians and other consultants, producing reports, conducting assessments, managing the budget and expenditures, and resolving issues. Furthermore, a nursing director must keep and maintain accurate records, ensuring all procedures adhere to the highest health standards and aligns with the hospital's policies and regulations.
Directors of occupational therapy and nursing directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director Of Occupational Therapy | Nursing Director | |
| Average salary | $88,320 | $87,643 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $137,000 | Between $64,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Oculus |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a director of occupational therapy and a nursing director in terms of educational background:
| Director Of Occupational Therapy | Nursing Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Associate Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Occupational Therapy | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between directors of occupational therapy' and nursing directors' demographics:
| Director Of Occupational Therapy | Nursing Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.5% Female, 74.5% | Male, 11.6% Female, 88.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 7.9% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 7.5% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |