Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between technical directors and associate directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a technical director has an average salary of $131,719, which is higher than the $114,223 average annual salary of an associate director.
The top three skills for a technical director include business development, architecture and technical expertise. The most important skills for an associate director are patients, healthcare, and project management.
| Technical Director | Associate Director | |
| Yearly salary | $131,719 | $114,223 |
| Hourly rate | $63.33 | $54.91 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 77,550 | 72,370 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 40 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
A technical director is responsible for monitoring the technical efficiency of operations. Technical directors inspect audio and visual equipment, lighting systems for productions, and other technical processes. They ensure that all the equipment is in proper working condition, identify and troubleshoot defects, and deliver high-quality project results. They also monitor expenses, forecast sales reports, and create cost estimates for the systems needed for the project completion, following the clients' specifications to gain satisfaction. A technical director must have excellent communication and decision-making skills to manage operational processes with maximum accuracy.
An associate director oversees the daily activities and business operations within a particular area. They are primarily responsible for devising strategies that aim for growth in profit and customer satisfaction, implementing policies and standards, evaluate the workforce, providing support to various departments, and setting goals in terms of budget and sales. Furthermore, they must regularly report progress to the director and coordinate with managers and supervisors in the joint effort to reach the vision and mission of the company.
Technical directors and associate directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Director | Associate Director | |
| Average salary | $131,719 | $114,223 |
| Salary range | Between $86,000 And $200,000 | Between $79,000 And $164,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Nike | Legalmatch.com |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a technical director and an associate director in terms of educational background:
| Technical Director | Associate Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between technical directors' and associate directors' demographics:
| Technical Director | Associate Director | |
| Average age | 40 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.4% Female, 17.6% | Male, 52.0% Female, 48.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 14% | 10% |