Therapy program manager vs unit director

The differences between therapy program managers and unit 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 unit director. Additionally, a therapy program manager has an average salary of $93,242, which is higher than the $74,346 average annual salary of a unit director.

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

Therapy program manager vs unit director overview

	Therapy Program Manager	Unit Director
Yearly salary	$93,242	$74,346
Hourly rate	$44.83	$35.74
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	119,197	41,585
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
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 unit director do?

A unit director is a management professional who is responsible for directing and managing a group of medical professionals in an organization. This director must manage the daily clinical and administrative duties for those professionals involved in the mental health hospitalization programs. The director must assist in recruiting healthcare professionals to maximize the branch and margin profits of the medical establishment. This director should also attend meetings with the OCFS program to discuss the performance and outcome measures of the program.

Therapy program manager vs unit director salary

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

	Therapy Program Manager	Unit Director
Average salary	$93,242	$74,346
Salary range	Between $68,000 And $126,000	Between $42,000 And $131,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Fairfield, CT
Highest paying state	California	Connecticut
Best paying company	Edwards Lifesciences	Palo Alto Networks
Best paying industry	Health Care	Manufacturing

Differences between therapy program manager and unit director education

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

	Therapy Program Manager	Unit Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Occupational Therapy	Nursing
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of Pennsylvania

Therapy program manager vs unit director demographics

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

	Therapy Program Manager	Unit Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 27.9% Female, 72.1%	Male, 46.0% Female, 54.0%
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, 12.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between therapy program manager and unit 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 )

Unit director example responsibilities.

Prepare and manage payroll and purchasing, which include balancing of accounts within budgetary limits; establish daily interaction with clients.
Manage operational organizing of stock and equipment, order supplies and oversee building maintenance, cleanliness and security.
Provide case management services to residents in the Alzheimer's unit.
Migrate all operations to a new ERP and retail system with a successful implementation.
Develop and implement a program which assure quality of life for mid- stage Alzheimer's residents.
Oversee labor, as well as, payroll, purchases, complete work orders, and operating supplies.

Therapy program manager vs unit director skills

Common therapy program manager skills

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

Common unit director skills

Patients, 23%
Patient Care, 21%
Customer Service, 14%
Cleanliness, 7%
Staff Development, 6%
Customer Satisfaction, 5%

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Therapy Program Manager
Therapy Program Manager vs Unit Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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