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The differences between project directors and directors, special projects can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a director, special projects has an average salary of $129,916, which is higher than the $107,396 average annual salary of a project director.
The top three skills for a project director include project management, oversight and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for a director, special projects are project management, website content, and financial statements.
| Project Director | Director, Special Projects | |
| Yearly salary | $107,396 | $129,916 |
| Hourly rate | $51.63 | $62.46 |
| Growth rate | - | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 116,968 | 45,103 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A project director is an individual responsible for supervising workers from various departments given specific tasks to complete a given project. They create a budget to complete a job while monitoring the amount of money spent to ensure that overspending is avoided. They provide presentations to investors, business partners, and company executives to inform them about their progress and development. Project directors must have several years of experience and obtain at least a bachelor's degree in business economics or a related field to be hired.
The primary responsibility of a director of special projects is to ensure the successful conclusion of construction-related projects. Special project directors lead, organize, and perform corporate projects outside their duties. They utilize project management, business process management, and change management disciplines for timely and cost-effective initiatives delivery. It is part of their responsibilities to collaborate with business leaders and entrepreneurs to perform corporate programs and initiatives. They also manage process enhancements and various special programs.
Project directors and directors, special projects have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Project Director | Director, Special Projects | |
| Average salary | $107,396 | $129,916 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $162,000 | Between $91,000 And $185,000 |
| Highest paying City | Las Vegas, NV | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Fried Frank | Palo Alto Networks |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a project director and a director, special projects in terms of educational background:
| Project Director | Director, Special Projects | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between project directors' and directors, special projects' demographics:
| Project Director | Director, Special Projects | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.2% Female, 43.8% | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 8.8% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 8.2% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |