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The differences between production managers and production directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a production manager and a production director. Additionally, a production director has an average salary of $118,207, which is higher than the $78,064 average annual salary of a production manager.
The top three skills for a production manager include continuous improvement, customer service and quality standards. The most important skills for a production director are video production, project management, and oversight.
| Production Manager | Production Director | |
| Yearly salary | $78,064 | $118,207 |
| Hourly rate | $37.53 | $56.83 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 95,561 | 59,417 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 46 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
Production directors work with production teams to manage the operation workflow, quality, and schedule adherence. They also monitor production activities to make necessary adjustments to the schedule to ensure that all deliverables are delivered on time, develop ideas for process improvements, and optimize production speed while maintaining the quality of the products. There are a few skills that most employers look for in production directors, like analytical skills, leadership skills, and creativity which are very helpful in fulfilling this role.
Production managers and production directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Manager | Production Director | |
| Average salary | $78,064 | $118,207 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $120,000 | Between $70,000 And $199,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | White Plains, NY |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | Netflix |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a production manager and a production director in terms of educational background:
| Production Manager | Production Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Business | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between production managers' and production directors' demographics:
| Production Manager | Production Director | |
| Average age | 46 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.6% Female, 23.4% | Male, 70.0% Female, 30.0% |
| 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, 14.6% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 14% |