Practice manager vs clinical director

The differences between practice managers and clinical directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a practice manager and a clinical director. Additionally, a practice manager has an average salary of $107,374, which is higher than the $96,497 average annual salary of a clinical director.

The top three skills for a practice manager include patients, patient care and customer service. The most important skills for a clinical director are patients, patient care, and physical therapy.

Practice manager vs clinical director overview

	Practice Manager	Clinical Director
Yearly salary	$107,374	$96,497
Hourly rate	$51.62	$46.39
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	38,196	83,232
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a practice manager do?

A practice manager is responsible for supervising daily operations, especially on the side of the medical industry. Practice managers monitor staffing needs, train new employees, and evaluate the employees' productivity and performance. They also enforce strict guidelines and procedures, ensuring that the processes adhere to the legal standards and regulatory requirements. Practice managers also maintain budget goals, creating cost estimates and expense reports. A practice manager must have strong communication, analytical, and critical-thinking skills, as well as comprehensive knowledge of the medical industry practices.

What does a clinical director do?

A clinical director is a managing professional who manages the work of healthcare providers to ensure quality patient care is achieved. Clinical directors are responsible for organizational tasks such as adjusting staff schedules, explaining insurance benefits to the patients, and managing financial reports. They can work either in small clinics with a smaller workforce or larger hospitals with multiple departments. Clinical directors may also assist in the hiring process of healthcare providers and should establish a positive work environment.

Practice manager vs clinical director salary

Practice managers and clinical directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Practice Manager	Clinical Director
Average salary	$107,374	$96,497
Salary range	Between $65,000 And $175,000	Between $63,000 And $145,000
Highest paying City	Providence, RI	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Davis Wright Tremaine	Sutro Biopharma
Best paying industry	Technology	Health Care

Differences between practice manager and clinical director education

There are a few differences between a practice manager and a clinical director in terms of educational background:

	Practice Manager	Clinical Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Business	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Practice manager vs clinical director demographics

Here are the differences between practice managers' and clinical directors' demographics:

	Practice Manager	Clinical Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 25.3% Female, 74.7%	Male, 35.2% Female, 64.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 7.9% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 8.1% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between practice manager and clinical director duties and responsibilities

Practice manager example responsibilities.

Secure new engagements worldwide, and lead numerous ERP and CRM initiatives.
Manage a great team of 7 consultants that deliver outstanding ERP solutions.
Supervise and manage a staff of 12.5 FTE personnel and 4 FTE physicians.
Accomplish at applying knowledge of veterinary science and compassion for animals to ensure optimal care.
Manage all aspects of establishing, setting and implementing standards and work processes to ensure well running PMO.
Manage the selection process and implementation of the practice's EMR by reviewing and updating the system as needed.

Clinical director example responsibilities.

Develop distinctive ambulatory strategies to achieve and sustain competitive healthcare advantage.
Manage and assist with data collection and input for MDS.
Manage quality of documentation through education and electronic review of clinical processes utilizing HCHB EMR.
Manage front office, marketing, and communication -demonstrated/supervise exercises for patients -Developed instructional packets for home exercise programs
Manage projects and ambulatory system initiatives, and collaborate with system leadership teams to ensure EMR alignment with all regulatory requirements.
Experience in GCP, FDA audits, and regulatory guidance review and implementation.

Practice manager vs clinical director skills

Common practice manager skills

Patients, 17%
Patient Care, 8%
Customer Service, 6%
PET, 5%
Practice Management, 4%
Payroll, 3%

Common clinical director skills

Patients, 18%
Patient Care, 11%
Physical Therapy, 5%
Social Work, 4%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Clinical Services, 3%

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Practice Manager
Practice Manager vs Clinical Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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