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The differences between student services directors and finance aid directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a student services director and a finance aid director. Additionally, a student services director has an average salary of $68,307, which is higher than the $58,644 average annual salary of a finance aid director.
The top three skills for a student services director include professional development, financial aid and support services. The most important skills for a finance aid director are financial aid programs, title iv, and state regulations.
| Student Services Director | Finance Aid Director | |
| Yearly salary | $68,307 | $58,644 |
| Hourly rate | $32.84 | $28.19 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 69,818 | 98,523 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
In learning institutions, a Student Services Director spearheads and oversees the student services office's daily operations. They directly handle student affairs, from academic endeavors to student discipline, including expulsions and suspensions, school security, child welfare, internships, and alternative education. A Student Services Director also participates in developing academic projects and programs, coordinating with internal and external parties to make them possible. Moreover, they also have the authority to implement policies and regulations, developing new ones as necessary.
A finance aid director oversees finance aid officers that deal with student loans, fees, scholarship grants, insurance, and other loans. They organize cash flow for all funds available. They analyze applications, grant scholarships and loans to students, and provide information on benefits and restrictions included with financial aid. They also help students resolve loan defaults or underpayments. They must have good communication skills to facilitate talks between students and universities.
Student services directors and finance aid directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Services Director | Finance Aid Director | |
| Average salary | $68,307 | $58,644 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $106,000 | Between $37,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Los Alamos National Laboratory | Commonwealth |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a student services director and a finance aid director in terms of educational background:
| Student Services Director | Finance Aid Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between student services directors' and finance aid directors' demographics:
| Student Services Director | Finance Aid Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.4% Female, 62.6% | Male, 30.9% Female, 69.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 4.3% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 4.4% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |