Director of physical education vs athletic director

The differences between directors of physical education and athletic directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a director of physical education, becoming an athletic director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a director of physical education has an average salary of $74,165, which is higher than the $71,311 average annual salary of an athletic director.

The top three skills for a director of physical education include classroom management, physical education curriculum and student athletes. The most important skills for an athletic director are student athletes, NCAA, and physical education.

Director of physical education vs athletic director overview

	Director Of Physical Education	Athletic Director
Yearly salary	$74,165	$71,311
Hourly rate	$35.66	$34.28
Growth rate	5%	7%
Number of jobs	67,568	11,759
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	4	6

Director of physical education vs athletic director salary

Directors of physical education and athletic directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Director Of Physical Education	Athletic Director
Average salary	$74,165	$71,311
Salary range	Between $41,000 And $131,000	Between $40,000 And $126,000
Highest paying City	-	Alameda, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Kern Community College District
Best paying industry	-	Insurance

Differences between director of physical education and athletic director education

There are a few differences between a director of physical education and an athletic director in terms of educational background:

	Director Of Physical Education	Athletic Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common major	Health Education	Kinesiology
Most common college	Columbia University in the City of New York	Northwestern University

Director of physical education vs athletic director demographics

Here are the differences between directors of physical education' and athletic directors' demographics:

	Director Of Physical Education	Athletic Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6%	Male, 78.2% Female, 21.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 4.3% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 4.3% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between director of physical education and athletic director duties and responsibilities

Director of physical education example responsibilities.

Lead project management team in development/execution of conferences and enduring CME -accredite programs.
Coach several sports teams - soccer, volleyball, basketball, and track.
Develop and lead after school sports programs, including soccer and basketball to encourage positive after school activities.
Organize a men s corporate softball program.
Perform duties as volleyball and basketball coach as well as athletic director.
Audit student athlete transcripts who are transitioning to the collegiate level for the NCAA clearing house.

Athletic director example responsibilities.

Develop and manage an athletic page on facebook.
Manage student transcripts, GPA, and credit verification according to school and CIF rules and regulations.
Manage facility schedules and oversee activities including league basketball and indoor soccer.
Lead project management team in development/execution of conferences and enduring CME -accredite programs.
Develop strategy to revamp locker rooms and improve high school athletic facilities including a new softball field and scoreboard for gym.
Provide athletes with injury prevention information: maintenance exercises, nutrition plans and resources, and develop rehabilitation and treatment protocols.

Director of physical education vs athletic director skills

Common director of physical education skills

Classroom Management, 12%
Physical Education Curriculum, 12%
Student Athletes, 8%
Physical Education, 7%
K-12, 7%
Volleyball, 6%

Common athletic director skills

Student Athletes, 15%
NCAA, 9%
Physical Education, 7%
Oversight, 6%
Athletic Events, 5%
Varsity Sports, 4%

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Director Of Physical Education
Director Of Physical Education vs Athletic Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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