Grant manager vs grants administrator

The differences between grant managers and grants administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a grant manager and a grants administrator. Additionally, a grant manager has an average salary of $60,692, which is higher than the $49,206 average annual salary of a grants administrator.

The top three skills for a grant manager include grants management, financial reports and oversight. The most important skills for a grants administrator are grants management, financial reports, and pre-award.

Grant manager vs grants administrator overview

	Grant Manager	Grants Administrator
Yearly salary	$60,692	$49,206
Hourly rate	$29.18	$23.66
Growth rate	12%	6%
Number of jobs	7,726	60,227
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age	45	48
Years of experience	6	6

What does a grant manager do?

A grant manager is responsible for granting financial assistance and support to various sector programs, evaluating grant applications, and implementing policies from its conceptualization to utilization. Grant managers review the grant documents, ensuring its adherence to internal guidelines and state regulations. They coordinate with clients and project management team to inform them of requirements and processes for approval, including the implementation of strategies to identify grant opportunities and policies. A grant manager handles the grant team for efficient coordination to make sure the efficient execution and analysis of grant programs.

What does a grants administrator do?

A grants administrator is responsible for approving financial and administrative assistance to employees and the organization provided that they submit the required documents and application for project development and processes. Grants administrators determine the eligibility of programs to calculate payments, generate financial reports and transactions, and coordinate with the management team for project implementation. They also follow strict procedures and protocols to ensure that the budget adheres to internal guidelines and requirements. A grants administrator must have excellent communication and analytical skills to review proposals and legal documents.

Grant manager vs grants administrator salary

Grant managers and grants administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Grant Manager	Grants Administrator
Average salary	$60,692	$49,206
Salary range	Between $46,000 And $79,000	Between $38,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	Arlington, VA	New Brunswick, NJ
Highest paying state	New Jersey	New Jersey
Best paying company	Low Income Investment Fund	Children's Hospital Colorado
Best paying industry	Finance	Health Care

Differences between grant manager and grants administrator education

There are a few differences between a grant manager and a grants administrator in terms of educational background:

	Grant Manager	Grants Administrator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Grant manager vs grants administrator demographics

Here are the differences between grant managers' and grants administrators' demographics:

	Grant Manager	Grants Administrator
Average age	45	48
Gender ratio	Male, 29.4% Female, 70.6%	Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 7.7% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	14%	7%

Differences between grant manager and grants administrator duties and responsibilities

Grant manager example responsibilities.

Provide administrative support to NIH program functions; as well as providing logistical support, and managing data.
Organize and manage PowerPoint presentations used for business development and site visits.
Serve as principal financial resource and contact for subcontractors to ensure fiscal compliance of GAAP and OMB circulars.
Prepare monthly, quarterly, and yearly closeout financial reports per GAAP, state, and county guidelines.
Prepare and maintain the annual budgets for NIH grants and contracts utilizing computer spreadsheets.
Advise and assist NSF staff on the fiscal and managerial responsibility of institutions seeking NSF funding.

Grants administrator example responsibilities.

Establish operating policies and procedures and attain SNF Medicare certification.
Update faculty regarding new federal sponsor (NIH and NSF) policies and regulations.
Verify compliance documents (IRB, IACUC, internal documents) with RVL and PCRO on inter-institutional agreements.
Organize and prepare grant applications for submission to NIH and private foundations.
Submit research relate regulatory and annual reports, including IRB applications and updates, annual reports, and the like.
Serve as technical resource for grant recipients with knowledge of federal regulations and guidelines; OMB circulars A110 and A122.

Grant manager vs grants administrator skills

Common grant manager skills

Grants Management, 13%
Financial Reports, 7%
Oversight, 6%
Principal Investigators, 5%
Payroll, 5%
Project Management, 4%

Common grants administrator skills

Grants Management, 11%
Financial Reports, 6%
Pre-award, 6%
Customer Service, 5%
Research Administration, 5%
Principal Investigators, 5%

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Grant Manager vs Grants Administrator

Updated January 8, 2025

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