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The differences between stage directors and stage managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a stage director, becoming a stage manager takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a stage director has an average salary of $51,404, which is higher than the $50,142 average annual salary of a stage manager.
The top three skills for a stage director include musical theatre, performance schedules and drama. The most important skills for a stage manager are stage management, audio equipment, and control room.
| Stage Director | Stage Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $51,404 | $50,142 |
| Hourly rate | $24.71 | $24.11 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 4,770 | 699 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
Stage directors and stage managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Stage Director | Stage Manager | |
| Average salary | $51,404 | $50,142 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $106,000 | Between $32,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a stage director and a stage manager in terms of educational background:
| Stage Director | Stage Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Music | Theatre |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between stage directors' and stage managers' demographics:
| Stage Director | Stage Manager | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.1% Female, 45.9% | Male, 44.3% Female, 55.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 14% | 14% |