Wardrobe supervisor vs stage manager

The differences between wardrobe supervisors and stage managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a wardrobe supervisor and a stage manager. Additionally, a stage manager has an average salary of $50,142, which is higher than the $35,636 average annual salary of a wardrobe supervisor.

The top three skills for a wardrobe supervisor include costumes, costume changes and RAN. The most important skills for a stage manager are stage management, audio equipment, and control room.

Wardrobe supervisor vs stage manager overview

	Wardrobe Supervisor	Stage Manager
Yearly salary	$35,636	$50,142
Hourly rate	$17.13	$24.11
Growth rate	6%	8%
Number of jobs	901	699
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age	34	40
Years of experience	12	12

Wardrobe supervisor vs stage manager salary

Wardrobe supervisors and stage managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Wardrobe Supervisor	Stage Manager
Average salary	$35,636	$50,142
Salary range	Between $20,000 And $63,000	Between $32,000 And $76,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between wardrobe supervisor and stage manager education

There are a few differences between a wardrobe supervisor and a stage manager in terms of educational background:

	Wardrobe Supervisor	Stage Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common major	Theatre	Theatre
Most common college	Stanford University	Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Wardrobe supervisor vs stage manager demographics

Here are the differences between wardrobe supervisors' and stage managers' demographics:

	Wardrobe Supervisor	Stage Manager
Average age	34	40
Gender ratio	Male, 16.6% Female, 83.4%	Male, 44.3% Female, 55.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	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	7%	14%

Differences between wardrobe supervisor and stage manager duties and responsibilities

Wardrobe supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage costume quick changes for``Shakespeare in Hollywood".
Demonstrate special makeup and hair techniques for those less experience and handle costume emergencies during performances.
Supervise student production crews, control budget, purchase supplies, teach costume design, construction, and makeup.
Organize and meticulously move costumes to and from different sets/locations.
Manage costume quick changes for``Shakespeare in Hollywood".

Stage manager example responsibilities.

Direct and manage production of plays in company's annual Shakespeare festival.
Manage team of developers to create web-base learning and support applications using ColdFusion, SQL, SharePoint, DreamWeaver.
Host all backstage tours for the public and VIP's.
Work on ASM for summer season for this company.
Organize and regulate rehearsals in NYC and Los Angeles.
Assist Neisha Folkes in rehearsals of children for musical Annie Jr.

Wardrobe supervisor vs stage manager skills

Common wardrobe supervisor skills

Costumes, 40%
Costume Changes, 15%
RAN, 9%
RUN Sheets, 8%
Uniform Inventory, 7%
Wigs, 7%

Common stage manager skills

Stage Management, 9%
Audio Equipment, 9%
Control Room, 8%
Technical Aspects, 8%
Technical Rehearsals, 7%
Rehearsal Schedules, 4%

Updated January 8, 2025

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