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The differences between technical directors and technical managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a technical director and a technical manager. Additionally, a technical director has an average salary of $131,719, which is higher than the $116,619 average annual salary of a technical manager.
The top three skills for a technical director include business development, architecture and technical expertise. The most important skills for a technical manager are project management, infrastructure, and architecture.
| Technical Director | Technical Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $131,719 | $116,619 |
| Hourly rate | $63.33 | $56.07 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 77,550 | 116,732 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 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.
A technical manager is responsible for maintaining the company's information systems database and analyzing technology system matters to ensure its efficiency and accuracy in supporting business operations. Technical managers perform network checks regularly to assess any possible malfunctions that might compromise the company's cybersecurity. They carefully analyze business and clients' specifications on working with systems integration, responding to end-users' concerns and inquiries. A technical manager must have excellent knowledge of the information technology systems industry, as well as a strong command on network codes to conduct adjustments and manage network infrastructure.
Technical directors and technical managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Director | Technical Manager | |
| Average salary | $131,719 | $116,619 |
| Salary range | Between $86,000 And $200,000 | Between $84,000 And $161,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Nike | A.T. Kearney |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a technical director and a technical manager in terms of educational background:
| Technical Director | Technical Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between technical directors' and technical managers' demographics:
| Technical Director | Technical Manager | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.4% Female, 17.6% | Male, 83.7% Female, 16.3% |
| 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, 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% |