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The differences between production assistant/editors and assistant directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a production assistant/editor, becoming an assistant director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an assistant director has an average salary of $63,063, which is higher than the $50,759 average annual salary of a production assistant/editor.
The top three skills for a production assistant/editor include adobe photoshop, photography and audio board. The most important skills for an assistant director are customer service, CPR, and child care.
| Production Assistant/Editor | Assistant Director | |
| Yearly salary | $50,759 | $63,063 |
| Hourly rate | $24.40 | $30.32 |
| Growth rate | -5% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 61,509 | 25,087 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
Production assistants/editors are individuals with skills in communication, adaptability, organization, and administration. They also possess a healthy dose of enthusiasm and perseverance and the ability to work well under pressure. This career choice calls for assisting directors of film and television in collecting and organizing elements needed to edit the film, and overseeing the various lists and instructions needed for putting the film into its final form.
Assistant directors are employees in show business who directly support directors. They may be working on a film, television show, or theatre production. Assistant directors are the second-in-command on the set. They take over for the director when he/she or she is unable to work. Assistant directors should be familiar with the script and the scenes. They are usually heavily involved in the conception of the production. They ensure that the plans are executed well by assisting in the selection of the cast and crew, production sets, and other set providers. They also make sure that shoot days or performance days go without a hitch by ironing out all the details in advance and preparing alternatives.
Production assistant/editors and assistant directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Assistant/Editor | Assistant Director | |
| Average salary | $50,759 | $63,063 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $74,000 | Between $37,000 And $105,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Mayer Brown |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a production assistant/editor and an assistant director in terms of educational background:
| Production Assistant/Editor | Assistant Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Photography | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between production assistant/editors' and assistant directors' demographics:
| Production Assistant/Editor | Assistant Director | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.1% Female, 51.9% | Male, 38.3% Female, 61.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 7.3% White, 76.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 14% |