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The differences between production managers and assistant directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a production manager, becoming an assistant director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a production manager has an average salary of $78,064, which is higher than the $63,063 average annual salary of an assistant director.
The top three skills for a production manager include continuous improvement, customer service and quality standards. The most important skills for an assistant director are customer service, CPR, and child care.
| Production Manager | Assistant Director | |
| Yearly salary | $78,064 | $63,063 |
| Hourly rate | $37.53 | $30.32 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 95,561 | 25,087 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 46 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
Production managers work in show business, whether in film, television shows, or theatre productions. They oversee the whole production and ensure that all agreements are met. They manage finances and budget allocation. They oversee the design of costumes and sets. They also manage the timeline of filming and ensure that the production or filming will finish within the agreed timeline. Production managers also ensure that all stakeholders are satisfied. They build meaningful working relationships with everyone involved, from directors to actors to crew members. They try to mitigate any potential challenges in the production budget and schedule.
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 managers and assistant directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Manager | Assistant Director | |
| Average salary | $78,064 | $63,063 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $120,000 | Between $37,000 And $105,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | Mayer Brown |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a production manager and an assistant director in terms of educational background:
| Production Manager | Assistant Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between production managers' and assistant directors' demographics:
| Production Manager | Assistant Director | |
| Average age | 46 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.6% Female, 23.4% | Male, 38.3% Female, 61.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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 | 6% | 14% |