Music department chairperson vs director of music

The differences between music department chairpeople and directors of music can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a music department chairperson, becoming a director of music takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a music department chairperson has an average salary of $50,320, which is higher than the $48,096 average annual salary of a director of music.

The top three skills for a music department chairperson include music education, music theory and choral music. The most important skills for a director of music are music program, music theory, and general music.

Music department chairperson vs director of music overview

	Music Department Chairperson	Director Of Music
Yearly salary	$50,320	$48,096
Hourly rate	$24.19	$23.12
Growth rate	12%	5%
Number of jobs	31,554	7,394
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age	46	44
Years of experience	2	6

Music department chairperson vs director of music salary

Music department chairpeople and directors of music have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Music Department Chairperson	Director Of Music
Average salary	$50,320	$48,096
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $76,000	Between $27,000 And $84,000
Highest paying City	-	Phoenix, AZ
Highest paying state	-	Arizona
Best paying company	-	York Prep School
Best paying industry	-	Media

Differences between music department chairperson and director of music education

There are a few differences between a music department chairperson and a director of music in terms of educational background:

	Music Department Chairperson	Director Of Music
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common major	Music	Music
Most common college	Northwestern University	Stanford University

Music department chairperson vs director of music demographics

Here are the differences between music department chairpeople' and directors of music' demographics:

	Music Department Chairperson	Director Of Music
Average age	46	44
Gender ratio	Male, 51.1% Female, 48.9%	Male, 64.3% Female, 35.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 11.2% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 5.3% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	16%	30%

Differences between music department chairperson and director of music duties and responsibilities

Music department chairperson example responsibilities.

Lead meetings with ESL department teachers in which teachers collaborate on unit plan ideas, classroom strategies and student needs.
Edit and approve promotional tools such as flyers, posters, handbills, and giveaways.
Develop individual educational plans (IEP) design to promote educational, physical and social development.
Restructure online courses in anthropology, psychology, and sociology using web-base readings and audio-visual materials.

Director of music example responsibilities.

Manage entire music program, schedule ministers, concerts, and prayer services.
Achieve staff competence with 4 staff members, encouraging the growth and development of one staff member into a leadership position.
Direct 7th - 8th girls chorus.
Introduce and integrate Orff instruments to vocal songs.
Serve as rehearsal accompanist for chorus number while directing.
Draft and create costumes and props by hand for the production

Music department chairperson vs director of music skills

Common music department chairperson skills

Music Education, 28%
Music Theory, 23%
Choral Music, 11%
Fine Arts, 10%
Jazz Ensemble, 9%
K-12, 7%

Common director of music skills

Music Program, 19%
Music Theory, 12%
General Music, 6%
Fine Arts, 6%
Instrumental Ensembles, 5%
Music Selection, 4%

Music Department Chairperson vs. similar jobs

Music Department Chairperson related careers

Music Department Chairperson related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Education, Training, and Library Industry
Music Department Chairperson
Music Department Chairperson vs Director Of Music

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse education, training, and library jobs