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The differences between unit directors and unit managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a unit director and a unit manager. Additionally, a unit director has an average salary of $74,346, which is higher than the $60,561 average annual salary of a unit manager.
The top three skills for a unit director include patients, patient care and customer service. The most important skills for a unit manager are quality care, patients, and federal regulations.
| Unit Director | Unit Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $74,346 | $60,561 |
| Hourly rate | $35.74 | $29.12 |
| Growth rate | 28% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 41,585 | 366,932 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
Unit managers are responsible for managing the nursing unit. They primarily supervise the daily care of patients and ensure quality patient care. Usually, they perform tasks like evaluating staff performance, conducting orientation for new staff, and training new members. Also, they manage schedules, minimize expenditures, and enforce health as well as safety regulations. Unit managers are registered nursing professionals with an undergraduate or graduate degree. They are honest, adaptable, and analytical professionals with strong management and leadership skills and relevant experience in nursing and patient assessment.
Unit directors and unit managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Unit Director | Unit Manager | |
| Average salary | $74,346 | $60,561 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $131,000 | Between $38,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fairfield, CT | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Palo Alto Networks | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between a unit director and a unit manager in terms of educational background:
| Unit Director | Unit Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between unit directors' and unit managers' demographics:
| Unit Director | Unit Manager | |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.0% Female, 54.0% | Male, 42.4% Female, 57.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 10% |