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Chief communications officer vs publication director

The differences between chief communications officers and publication directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a chief communications officer and a publication director. Additionally, a chief communications officer has an average salary of $115,086, which is higher than the $87,824 average annual salary of a publication director.

The top three skills for a chief communications officer include crisis communications, external communications and CCO. The most important skills for a publication director are website content, press releases, and government agencies.

Chief communications officer vs publication director overview

Chief Communications OfficerPublication Director
Yearly salary$115,086$87,824
Hourly rate$55.33$42.22
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs80,71114,660
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

What does a chief communications officer do?

A chief communications officer oversees internal relations and researches public employees. Most of the chief communications officers spend a massive amount of time interacting with the chief marketing officers of their organization. They are responsible for management issues and may offer risk management in industries that are prone to hazard, risk, and product failure. They provide wise counsel to the senior team whenever major decisions are debated. They act in many ways as representatives of many publics who are not in the room when these decisions are made. These officers also help the organization translate strategy to action.

What does a publication director do?

A publication director spearheads and oversees the operations of publishing establishments, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They have the authority to make publication decisions, set goals, establish guidelines and timelines, delegate tasks and resources among teams, and develop strategies to optimize operations. They also monitor the workflow and the performance of the workforce, addressing issues and concerns if any arise. Moreover, a publication director leads and encourages staff to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations, developing new ones as needed.

Chief communications officer vs publication director salary

Chief communications officers and publication directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Chief Communications OfficerPublication Director
Average salary$115,086$87,824
Salary rangeBetween $63,000 And $208,000Between $49,000 And $154,000
Highest paying City-Carson City, NV
Highest paying state-Delaware
Best paying company-Biogen
Best paying industry-Media

Differences between chief communications officer and publication director education

There are a few differences between a chief communications officer and a publication director in terms of educational background:

Chief Communications OfficerPublication Director
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 73%Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Most common majorCommunicationCommunication
Most common collegeStanford UniversityMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Chief communications officer vs publication director demographics

Here are the differences between chief communications officers' and publication directors' demographics:

Chief Communications OfficerPublication Director
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 59.5% Female, 40.5%Male, 44.8% Female, 55.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 5.0% White, 75.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage16%16%

Differences between chief communications officer and publication director duties and responsibilities

Chief communications officer example responsibilities.

  • Develop editorial content, seek concept and content clearance, and manage editorial calendar for an e-publication research by a subcontractor.
  • Create original content resulting in extensive media coverage and several million views through native Facebook video and YouTube.
  • Serve as representative to senior management team during community events and company spokesperson for division, including to nonprofit sector clients.
  • Direct internal communications tactics including newsletters, Intranet, domestic and international executive meetings, and special events.

Publication director example responsibilities.

  • Manage media relations, announcements, editorial placement, and speaking opportunities the organizations.
  • Promote expansion of Medicaid coverage at the federal and state level.
  • Create & maintain SEAPOWER Facebook page, where all online articles are place, driving page views back to the website.
  • Serve as representative to senior management team during community events and company spokesperson for division, including to nonprofit sector clients.
  • Draft pleadings and serve subpoenas.
  • Complete all investigative reports including incident reports, subpoenas, arrest warrants, and witness statements.
  • Show more

Chief communications officer vs publication director skills

Common chief communications officer skills
  • Crisis Communications, 9%
  • External Communications, 8%
  • CCO, 6%
  • Press Releases, 6%
  • Community Relations, 5%
  • Strategic Communications Plan, 3%
Common publication director skills
  • Website Content, 12%
  • Press Releases, 11%
  • Government Agencies, 9%
  • Public Policy Issues, 6%
  • Government Relations, 5%
  • Pr Campaigns, 4%

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