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The differences between executive producers and directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an executive producer, becoming a director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an executive producer has an average salary of $117,841, which is higher than the $113,489 average annual salary of a director.
The top three skills for an executive producer include video production, digital content and digital platforms. The most important skills for a director are healthcare, customer service, and oversight.
| Executive Producer | Director | |
| Yearly salary | $117,841 | $113,489 |
| Hourly rate | $56.65 | $54.56 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 74,007 | 230,711 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
An executive producer is responsible for supervising the creation and development of digital entertainment content. Executive producers secure and maintain the production budget, negotiate with a production company, and manage marketing campaigns for promotion. They also work with multiple producers to finalize the production team, review the creative content, and ensure the completeness of production plans within the agreed timeframe. An executive producer must have excellent communication and organization skills, especially on coordinating with production personnel to ensure the smooth flow of the production operations.
Directors work in show business, whether in a film, a television show, or a theatre production. They are responsible for bringing the material to life. They work with the writers to get a clear vision of how the production should look. They lead the production team in planning for the production, identifying filming or rehearsing schedules, casting for roles, and other aspects that need to be decided upon. Directors provide direction to the actors to ensure that the actors understand their role and will be able to effectively convey emotions to the audience. They also manage all other crew members and communicate their expectations clearly so that everyone on the set is working towards one vision.
Executive producers and directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Executive Producer | Director | |
| Average salary | $117,841 | $113,489 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $190,000 | Between $66,000 And $192,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | New York |
| Best paying company | Netflix | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between an executive producer and a director in terms of educational background:
| Executive Producer | Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Communication | Business |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between executive producers' and directors' demographics:
| Executive Producer | Director | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.3% Female, 37.7% | Male, 53.2% Female, 46.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 6.3% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 14% | 14% |