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The differences between technical directors and engineering directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a technical director, becoming an engineering director takes usually requires More than 10 years. Additionally, an engineering director has an average salary of $162,252, which is higher than the $131,719 average annual salary of a technical director.
The top three skills for a technical director include business development, architecture and technical expertise. The most important skills for an engineering director are java, architecture, and infrastructure.
| Technical Director | Engineering Director | |
| Yearly salary | $131,719 | $162,252 |
| Hourly rate | $63.33 | $78.01 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 77,550 | 63,868 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 40 | 48 |
| 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 engineering director or director of engineering is an individual who manages a team of engineering managers and coordinates all the engineering activities within the organization. Engineering directors work closely with the organization's executives to develop new strategies to reduce unnecessary costs and time to complete their projects. They must understand and interpret complex sets of data such as profits, losses, or value of liabilities to identify problems and come up with solutions. Engineering directors must also ensure that safety protocols are implemented in the workforce.
Technical directors and engineering directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Director | Engineering Director | |
| Average salary | $131,719 | $162,252 |
| Salary range | Between $86,000 And $200,000 | Between $109,000 And $239,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Nike | Brookfield Properties |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a technical director and an engineering director in terms of educational background:
| Technical Director | Engineering Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between technical directors' and engineering directors' demographics:
| Technical Director | Engineering Director | |
| Average age | 40 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.4% Female, 17.6% | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% |
| 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, 3.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 13.1% White, 69.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 14% | 9% |