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The differences between information technology directors and information technology support managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both an information technology director and an information technology support manager. Additionally, an information technology director has an average salary of $138,906, which is higher than the $104,424 average annual salary of an information technology support manager.
The top three skills for an information technology director include customer service, project management and cloud. The most important skills for an information technology support manager are customer service, ITIL, and project management.
| Information Technology Director | Information Technology Support Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $138,906 | $104,424 |
| Hourly rate | $66.78 | $50.20 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 87,765 | 162,131 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
An information technology (IT) Director is an individual responsible for the management, strategy, and execution of an organization's IT infrastructure. He/She supervises a team of workers while working with the organization's management and external vendors and advisors. Aside from managing workers, an IT director should possess problem-solving skills and an aptitude for organizational thinking. An IT director must also identify new market opportunities and should lead an effort to improve the organization's IT process.
Information technology support manager primarily supervises information technology support staff, oversees system and software maintenance, and repairs. They assist with computer equipment installation and purchasing and maintaining a secure network and connectivity for users. It is part of their role to coordinate training and development for new technology users. Another vital role is they monitor online security for users and networks and takes appropriate steps to address possible security breaches if necessary. Moreover, they also develop contingency plans to address any equipment, power, or possible security failure to ensure the protection of technology and data.
Information technology directors and information technology support managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Director | Information Technology Support Manager | |
| Average salary | $138,906 | $104,424 |
| Salary range | Between $97,000 And $197,000 | Between $76,000 And $142,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Tipping Point | Clinica Sierra Vista |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between an information technology director and an information technology support manager in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Director | Information Technology Support Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between information technology directors' and information technology support managers' demographics:
| Information Technology Director | Information Technology Support Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% | Male, 82.2% Female, 17.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 12.7% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.3% Asian, 12.6% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |