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The differences between chief risk officers and risk management directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a chief risk officer, becoming a risk management director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a risk management director has an average salary of $133,286, which is higher than the $117,089 average annual salary of a chief risk officer.
The top three skills for a chief risk officer include oversight, risk assessments and operational risk. The most important skills for a risk management director are oversight, risk assessments, and governance.
| Chief Risk Officer | Risk Management Director | |
| Yearly salary | $117,089 | $133,286 |
| Hourly rate | $56.29 | $64.08 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 76,203 | 80,337 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 46 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 6 |
A chief risk officer is responsible for monitoring the organization's overall operational procedures and regulatory processes to evaluate risk levels and minimize risk exposure. Chief risk officers maintain the safety and security of all the databases and ensure the confidentiality of information from unauthorized access and distribution. They also oversee the business and financial transactions regularly to identify improvement solutions that would generate revenues and resources. A chief risk officer reviews incident reports and handles recovery methods, especially for business continuity plans during national emergencies and unfortunate situations.
A risk management director is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of all the people, assets, and processes across the organization. Risk management directors facilitate risk management programs to mitigate company risks that may affect the organization's reputation and stability. They coordinate with upper management to identify a strategic approach and strengthen risk management policies. A risk management director must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing and investigating incident reports and resolving internal escalations immediately and efficiently.
Chief risk officers and risk management directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chief Risk Officer | Risk Management Director | |
| Average salary | $117,089 | $133,286 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $188,000 | Between $95,000 And $185,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Vermont |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Conning |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a chief risk officer and a risk management director in terms of educational background:
| Chief Risk Officer | Risk Management Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Finance | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between chief risk officers' and risk management directors' demographics:
| Chief Risk Officer | Risk Management Director | |
| Average age | 46 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.3% Female, 28.7% | Male, 59.4% Female, 40.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 10.5% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 4% |