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The differences between principal investigators and school directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a principal investigator and a school director. Additionally, a principal investigator has an average salary of $84,635, which is higher than the $68,563 average annual salary of a school director.
The top three skills for a principal investigator include patients, data collection and project management. The most important skills for a school director are professional development, K-12, and curriculum development.
| Principal Investigator | School Director | |
| Yearly salary | $84,635 | $68,563 |
| Hourly rate | $40.69 | $32.96 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 44,475 | 37,761 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Principal Investigator is the primary person who is responsible for designing, conducting, and reporting a research project. They report to a designated official such as the department head or division chief.
A school director oversees educational programs, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. They typically gather and analyze data, review reports, monitor faculty staff's performance and the progress of all teaching methods, and resolve issues should any arise. They usually work together with the teaching staff to research and develop educational curricula and programs, participate in hiring educators, and supervise staff. Moreover, a school director leads and encourages the workforce to reach goals while implementing the school's policies and regulations, developing new ones when necessary.
Principal investigators and school directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Investigator | School Director | |
| Average salary | $84,635 | $68,563 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $120,000 | Between $46,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Rafael, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Incyte | Learning Care Group |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Education |
There are a few differences between a principal investigator and a school director in terms of educational background:
| Principal Investigator | School Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between principal investigators' and school directors' demographics:
| Principal Investigator | School Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.2% Female, 47.8% | Male, 36.4% Female, 63.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 4.3% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.7% Asian, 4.3% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |