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The differences between information technology systems directors and systems 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 systems director and a systems manager. Additionally, an information technology systems director has an average salary of $147,331, which is higher than the $107,156 average annual salary of a systems manager.
The top three skills for an information technology systems director include project management, architecture and network infrastructure. The most important skills for a systems manager are customer service, project management, and patients.
| Information Technology Systems Director | Systems Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $147,331 | $107,156 |
| Hourly rate | $70.83 | $51.52 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 146,989 | 145,551 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
Generally, an information technology systems director is responsible for the management, organization, and execution of IT operations. They oversee technical projects and IT infrastructure, manage a team of employees in the IT department, direct the effective delivery of networks in alignment with the organization's goals, and tracking technology. Their objective is to ensure that security risks are minimized, business goals are met, and user satisfaction is achieved.
A systems manager is responsible for monitoring the operations of the information technology department, evaluating staff performance, developing strategic procedures to maximize productivity, and identifying business opportunities that would generate more revenues and profitability for the company. Systems managers inspect company networks to ensure the efficiency of the technology systems, conducting regular diagnostic tests, and installing upgrades to boost optimization. A systems manager must have excellent knowledge of the technology industry, as well as a strong command in programming languages and system codes to maintain the security of the company's database.
Information technology systems directors and systems managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Technology Systems Director | Systems Manager | |
| Average salary | $147,331 | $107,156 |
| Salary range | Between $103,000 And $209,000 | Between $75,000 And $152,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between an information technology systems director and a systems manager in terms of educational background:
| Information Technology Systems Director | Systems Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between information technology systems directors' and systems managers' demographics:
| Information Technology Systems Director | Systems Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0% | Male, 76.8% Female, 23.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 12.7% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Asian, 12.6% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |