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The differences between communications consultants and communications 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 communications consultant and a communications director. Additionally, a communications director has an average salary of $107,700, which is higher than the $91,455 average annual salary of a communications consultant.
The top three skills for a communications consultant include powerpoint, web content and project management. The most important skills for a communications director are web content, press releases, and customer service.
| Communications Consultant | Communications Director | |
| Yearly salary | $91,455 | $107,700 |
| Hourly rate | $43.97 | $51.78 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 29,942 | 27,939 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Communications consultants are responsible for preparing media releases, whether through print, video, or email. They perform varied tasks that may include working on complete projects such as media analysis and branding, creating strategies to reinforced communication among clients and employees, and providing guidance and recommendations to a company's public relations team. Communications consultants may also conduct training on best practices for other employees. Some employers prefer someone with a bachelor's degree in communications, public relations or journalism, previous work experience in a related field, and excellent written and verbal communication skills.
A communications director is responsible for monitoring and supervising the overall media relations from internal to external communications. A communications director's duties include managing campaigns, providing organizational updates to the employees, supporting social media marketing, developing effective communication strategies to build the organization's reputation, and efficiently leading team members in handling events that represent the business. Communications directors must have strong leadership and communication skills to provide support for the company's daily operations and strategies.
Communications consultants and communications directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Communications Consultant | Communications Director | |
| Average salary | $91,455 | $107,700 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $130,000 | Between $61,000 And $188,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Dell | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a communications consultant and a communications director in terms of educational background:
| Communications Consultant | Communications Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between communications consultants' and communications directors' demographics:
| Communications Consultant | Communications Director | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.5% Female, 56.5% | Male, 40.2% Female, 59.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 16% |