Therapy program manager vs clinical director

The differences between therapy program managers and clinical 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 therapy program manager and a clinical director. Additionally, a clinical director has an average salary of $96,497, which is higher than the $93,242 average annual salary of a therapy program manager.

The top three skills for a therapy program manager include patients, customer service and respiratory care. The most important skills for a clinical director are patients, patient care, and physical therapy.

Therapy program manager vs clinical director overview

	Therapy Program Manager	Clinical Director
Yearly salary	$93,242	$96,497
Hourly rate	$44.83	$46.39
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	119,197	83,232
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a therapy program manager do?

A Therapy Program Manager provides leadership and management of the physical therapy department. They direct and coordinate the policies, objectives, and initiatives of physical therapy programs.

What does a clinical director do?

A clinical director is a managing professional who manages the work of healthcare providers to ensure quality patient care is achieved. Clinical directors are responsible for organizational tasks such as adjusting staff schedules, explaining insurance benefits to the patients, and managing financial reports. They can work either in small clinics with a smaller workforce or larger hospitals with multiple departments. Clinical directors may also assist in the hiring process of healthcare providers and should establish a positive work environment.

Therapy program manager vs clinical director salary

Therapy program managers and clinical directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Therapy Program Manager	Clinical Director
Average salary	$93,242	$96,497
Salary range	Between $68,000 And $126,000	Between $63,000 And $145,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	California	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Edwards Lifesciences	Sutro Biopharma
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between therapy program manager and clinical director education

There are a few differences between a therapy program manager and a clinical director in terms of educational background:

	Therapy Program Manager	Clinical Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Occupational Therapy	Nursing
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Therapy program manager vs clinical director demographics

Here are the differences between therapy program managers' and clinical directors' demographics:

	Therapy Program Manager	Clinical Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 27.9% Female, 72.1%	Male, 35.2% Female, 64.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 8.0% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 8.1% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between therapy program manager and clinical director duties and responsibilities

Therapy program manager example responsibilities.

Lead a team of thirty-five (35) FTE.
Manage a staff of 9 therapists in a CCRC setting including a 169 bed SNF.
Achieve employee performance and satisfaction providing supervision supporting excellence in documentation, a collaborative approach with providers and compassion for members.
Initiate department quality and process improvements to meet JACHO, MCR, CMS, CARF and other governing entity requirements.
Provide primary physical therapy treatment to patients on caseload and complete necessary documentation for billing insurance and showing medical necessity.
Consider a``working manager"( PTA )

Clinical director example responsibilities.

Develop distinctive ambulatory strategies to achieve and sustain competitive healthcare advantage.
Manage and assist with data collection and input for MDS.
Manage quality of documentation through education and electronic review of clinical processes utilizing HCHB EMR.
Manage front office, marketing, and communication -demonstrated/supervise exercises for patients -Developed instructional packets for home exercise programs
Manage projects and ambulatory system initiatives, and collaborate with system leadership teams to ensure EMR alignment with all regulatory requirements.
Experience in GCP, FDA audits, and regulatory guidance review and implementation.

Therapy program manager vs clinical director skills

Common therapy program manager skills

Patients, 25%
Customer Service, 12%
Respiratory Care, 7%
Acute Care, 7%
Respiratory Therapy, 6%
Rehabilitation, 6%

Common clinical director skills

Patients, 18%
Patient Care, 11%
Physical Therapy, 5%
Social Work, 4%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Clinical Services, 3%

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Therapy Program Manager
Therapy Program Manager vs Clinical Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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