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The differences between technical services managers and technical directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a technical services manager, becoming a technical director takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a technical director has an average salary of $131,719, which is higher than the $104,419 average annual salary of a technical services manager.
The top three skills for a technical services manager include project management, customer service and client facing. The most important skills for a technical director are business development, architecture, and technical expertise.
| Technical Services Manager | Technical Director | |
| Yearly salary | $104,419 | $131,719 |
| Hourly rate | $50.20 | $63.33 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 186,807 | 77,550 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 2 |
A technical services manager is an individual who supervises and collaborates with staff members and clients to implement maintenance and repairs to the information technology (IT) system. Technical services managers must assist the technical operations performed by programmers and IT support experts to ensure that clients' targets are achievable. They must develop policies and strategies that are effective in fixing critical technical and procedural issues. Technical services managers must also ensure that software and hardware components are up-to-date.
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.
Technical services managers and technical directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Services Manager | Technical Director | |
| Average salary | $104,419 | $131,719 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $161,000 | Between $86,000 And $200,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | New York |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | Nike |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a technical services manager and a technical director in terms of educational background:
| Technical Services Manager | Technical Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between technical services managers' and technical directors' demographics:
| Technical Services Manager | Technical Director | |
| Average age | 47 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.6% Female, 10.4% | Male, 82.4% Female, 17.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 14% |