Project planner vs department coordinator

The differences between project planners and department coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a project planner, becoming a department coordinator takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a project planner has an average salary of $86,926, which is higher than the $44,673 average annual salary of a department coordinator.

The top three skills for a project planner include project management, project planning and microsoft project. The most important skills for a department coordinator are customer service, patients, and patient care.

Project planner vs department coordinator overview

	Project Planner	Department Coordinator
Yearly salary	$86,926	$44,673
Hourly rate	$41.79	$21.48
Growth rate	-3%	-8%
Number of jobs	56,558	67,423
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	45	47
Years of experience	2	6

What does a project planner do?

A project planner is responsible for determining project management procedures according to business requirements and client specifications. Project planners schedule deliverables of outputs for every milestone to ensure that the team follows the track of guidelines, adhering to the company policies and project plans. They write status reports, conduct cost expenses analysis, and strategize techniques in maximizing the team's productivity and efficiency. A project planner also identifies opportunities to improve project workloads and adjust procedures as necessary to meet the highest goals and objectives.

What does a department coordinator do?

A department coordinator is responsible for supporting business operations and management tasks to ensure that the company meets its daily operational goals and objectives. Department coordinators coordinate the project progress of each department and maintain the adequate allocation of funds and resources to perform operations timely and efficiently. They also negotiate contracts with suppliers and vendors for materials that are essential for company products and processes. A department coordinator must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing reports, attending meetings, and handling clients' inquiries and concerns.

Project planner vs department coordinator salary

Project planners and department coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Project Planner	Department Coordinator
Average salary	$86,926	$44,673
Salary range	Between $63,000 And $118,000	Between $32,000 And $61,000
Highest paying City	Davis, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	California	New York
Best paying company	Novo Nordisk	GLG
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Finance

Differences between project planner and department coordinator education

There are a few differences between a project planner and a department coordinator in terms of educational background:

	Project Planner	Department Coordinator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Western Carolina University	California State University - Bakersfield

Project planner vs department coordinator demographics

Here are the differences between project planners' and department coordinators' demographics:

	Project Planner	Department Coordinator
Average age	45	47
Gender ratio	Male, 65.1% Female, 34.9%	Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 5.3% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	11%	8%

Differences between project planner and department coordinator duties and responsibilities

Project planner example responsibilities.

Utilize SharePoint and manage content to display and capture progress report information.
Manage logistics of all facets of the transition from housing, moving, inter-service agreements and education.
Manage event day logistics, including staging, set-up and strike; adherence to event schedule, and guest hospitality.
Follow EPC projects from the engineering office to the construction site to manage the execution and performance of the construction effort.
Manage retrofit projects for progressive stamping equipment.
Experience with CMMS (maximo), including writing job plans and pm's.

Department coordinator example responsibilities.

Manage RFP process; act as key liaison for corporate clients and corporate sales director.
Manage hotel database, Delphi, including assigning ballroom for events, issuing contracts and arranging menus.
Manage end-to-end request for proposal (RFP) process; from client presentation creation to demonstration via on-site or WebEx.
Implement financial monitoring systems and monitor cash management including controlling production expenditures, and managing payroll and petty cash.
Administer, organize, and file patient paperwork including HIPAA forms.
Facilitate bi-rotational meetings on various healthcare topics which includes HIPAA and culture of safety.

Project planner vs department coordinator skills

Common project planner skills

Project Management, 20%
Project Planning, 8%
Microsoft Project, 4%
Project Scope, 4%
Primavera P6, 4%
Project Controls, 3%

Common department coordinator skills

Customer Service, 20%
Patients, 20%
Patient Care, 8%
Data Entry, 6%
Payroll, 5%
PowerPoint, 5%

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Project Planner vs Department Coordinator

Updated January 8, 2025

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