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The differences between regional directors and area directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a regional director, becoming an area director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an area director has an average salary of $100,433, which is higher than the $78,190 average annual salary of a regional director.
The top three skills for a regional director include healthcare, patients and customer service. The most important skills for an area director are customer service, patients, and home health.
| Regional Director | Area Director | |
| Yearly salary | $78,190 | $100,433 |
| Hourly rate | $37.59 | $48.29 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 73,300 | 47,326 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
The primary role of regional directors is to oversee and provide guidance to the managers that report to them. They coordinate with employees to discuss business progress and create strategies to accomplish the company's goals. It is their responsibility to oversee the recruitment and training of staff and implement a marketing strategy to maximize sales and profitability. It is also their responsibility to identify and address staff performance issues and collaborate with department teams on market growth opportunities.
Area directors oversee the operations of the company in a particular area. They manage the company's presence in their assigned area. Area directors come up with strategies so that their area meets company goals. They manage the company's performance in their area, from sales to marketing to finance to human resources. Area directors are expected to have in-depth knowledge of the situation and the context in the area they handle. They should be able to identify strengths and areas for improvement in their area. As such, they would be able to capitalize on their strengths and address their areas for improvement. Overall, area directors are responsible for the fulfillment of the company's vision in their area.
Regional directors and area directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Regional Director | Area Director | |
| Average salary | $78,190 | $100,433 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $147,000 | Between $55,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Sidley Austin | AstraZeneca |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a regional director and an area director in terms of educational background:
| Regional Director | Area Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between regional directors' and area directors' demographics:
| Regional Director | Area Director | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.1% Female, 38.9% | Male, 63.9% Female, 36.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.1% White, 78.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 10% |