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The differences between president & chief technology officers and technical directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a president & chief technology officer, becoming a technical director takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a president & chief technology officer has an average salary of $186,281, which is higher than the $131,719 average annual salary of a technical director.
The top three skills for a president & chief technology officer include R, architecture and CTO. The most important skills for a technical director are business development, architecture, and technical expertise.
| President & Chief Technology Officer | Technical Director | |
| Yearly salary | $186,281 | $131,719 |
| Hourly rate | $89.56 | $63.33 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 152,241 | 77,550 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 2 |
A president and chief technology officer (CTO) is an executive-level position focusing on resolving the technical issues within an organization. His/Her or her duties and responsibilities include working with other strategists and technical planners to assess product demands in the market, formulating solutions to reduce dependency on external consultants, and making infrastructure and technology-related decisions. The requirements to qualify for the position include possessing good management and problem-solving skills and obtaining a bachelor's degree in computer science or other related fields.
A technical director is responsible for monitoring the technical efficiency of operations. Technical directors inspect audio and visual equipment, lighting systems for productions, and other technical processes. They ensure that all the equipment is in proper working condition, identify and troubleshoot defects, and deliver high-quality project results. They also monitor expenses, forecast sales reports, and create cost estimates for the systems needed for the project completion, following the clients' specifications to gain satisfaction. A technical director must have excellent communication and decision-making skills to manage operational processes with maximum accuracy.
President & chief technology officers and technical directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| President & Chief Technology Officer | Technical Director | |
| Average salary | $186,281 | $131,719 |
| Salary range | Between $115,000 And $299,000 | Between $86,000 And $200,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New York |
| Best paying company | Novant Health | Nike |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Technology |
There are a few differences between a president & chief technology officer and a technical director in terms of educational background:
| President & Chief Technology Officer | Technical Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between president & chief technology officers' and technical directors' demographics:
| President & Chief Technology Officer | Technical Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.3% Female, 5.7% | Male, 82.4% Female, 17.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 13.8% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 14% |