Director of occupational therapy vs unit director

The differences between directors of occupational therapy and unit 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 unit director. Additionally, a director of occupational therapy has an average salary of $88,320, which is higher than the $74,346 average annual salary of a unit director.

The top three skills for a director of occupational therapy include occupational therapy, patients and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a unit director are patients, patient care, and customer service.

Director of occupational therapy vs unit director overview

	Director Of Occupational Therapy	Unit Director
Yearly salary	$88,320	$74,346
Hourly rate	$42.46	$35.74
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	46,434	41,585
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a director of occupational therapy do?

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.

What does a unit director do?

A unit director is a management professional who is responsible for directing and managing a group of medical professionals in an organization. This director must manage the daily clinical and administrative duties for those professionals involved in the mental health hospitalization programs. The director must assist in recruiting healthcare professionals to maximize the branch and margin profits of the medical establishment. This director should also attend meetings with the OCFS program to discuss the performance and outcome measures of the program.

Director of occupational therapy vs unit director salary

Directors of occupational therapy and unit directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Director Of Occupational Therapy	Unit Director
Average salary	$88,320	$74,346
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $137,000	Between $42,000 And $131,000
Highest paying City	-	Fairfield, CT
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	Palo Alto Networks
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between director of occupational therapy and unit director education

There are a few differences between a director of occupational therapy and a unit director in terms of educational background:

	Director Of Occupational Therapy	Unit Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Occupational Therapy	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Director of occupational therapy vs unit director demographics

Here are the differences between directors of occupational therapy' and unit directors' demographics:

	Director Of Occupational Therapy	Unit Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 25.5% Female, 74.5%	Male, 46.0% Female, 54.0%
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, 12.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between director of occupational therapy and unit director duties and responsibilities

Director of occupational therapy example responsibilities.

Manage PPS details efficiently to ensure high quality clinical care while maximizing reimbursement for the facility.
Develop independent living program for adult rehabilitation patients in preparation for discharge.
Addressed Medicare denials for all customers.
Prepare for JCAHO and CARF surveys.
Full procedure manual written base on CARF guidelines.
Recruit, train and supervise a cohesive staff of COTA's.

Unit director example responsibilities.

Prepare and manage payroll and purchasing, which include balancing of accounts within budgetary limits; establish daily interaction with clients.
Manage operational organizing of stock and equipment, order supplies and oversee building maintenance, cleanliness and security.
Provide case management services to residents in the Alzheimer's unit.
Migrate all operations to a new ERP and retail system with a successful implementation.
Develop and implement a program which assure quality of life for mid- stage Alzheimer's residents.
Oversee labor, as well as, payroll, purchases, complete work orders, and operating supplies.

Director of occupational therapy vs unit director skills

Common director of occupational therapy skills

Occupational Therapy, 17%
Patients, 13%
Rehabilitation, 9%
Home Health, 8%
COTA, 8%
Program Development, 7%

Common unit director skills

Patients, 23%
Patient Care, 21%
Customer Service, 14%
Cleanliness, 7%
Staff Development, 6%
Customer Satisfaction, 5%

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Director Of Occupational Therapy
Director Of Occupational Therapy vs Unit Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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