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The differences between stage managers and assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a stage manager, becoming an assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a stage manager has an average salary of $50,142, which is higher than the $37,363 average annual salary of an assistant.
The top three skills for a stage manager include stage management, audio equipment and control room. The most important skills for an assistant are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Stage Manager | Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $50,142 | $37,363 |
| Hourly rate | $24.11 | $17.96 |
| Growth rate | 8% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 699 | 557,900 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 40 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
A stage manager is someone who oversees theatrical performances and all practical and technical aspects of rehearsals and shows, such as lighting cues, sound, prop usage, and costume changes. The core skills that stage managers should possess to accomplish their responsibilities include excellent attention to detail, the ability to multi-task and work under pressure, and strong leadership and problem-solving skills. They should be able to delegate tasks to staff. The job requires no formal education.
An assistant intern is responsible for facilitating administrative and clerical tasks as assigned by the management. Assistant interns' duties include keeping records of meetings, receiving calls and handling customer inquiries, assisting on writing reports and data entry processing, cooperating and providing support for business events, and adhering to company policies and regulatory procedures. Successful assistant interns must have excellent time-management, multi-tasking, and communication skills. They must be a team player and fast-learner to handle various tasks in the corporate industry.
Stage managers and assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Stage Manager | Assistant | |
| Average salary | $50,142 | $37,363 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $76,000 | Between $16,000 And $82,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | Latham & Watkins |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a stage manager and an assistant in terms of educational background:
| Stage Manager | Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Theatre | Business |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between stage managers' and assistants' demographics:
| Stage Manager | Assistant | |
| Average age | 40 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.3% Female, 55.7% | Male, 40.7% Female, 59.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 14% | 6% |