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The differences between communications department heads 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 department head and a communications director. Additionally, a communications director has an average salary of $107,700, which is higher than the $95,503 average annual salary of a communications department head.
The top three skills for a communications department head include communications strategy, external communications and external stakeholders. The most important skills for a communications director are web content, press releases, and customer service.
| Communications Department Head | Communications Director | |
| Yearly salary | $95,503 | $107,700 |
| Hourly rate | $45.91 | $51.78 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 51,594 | 27,939 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A communications department head is in charge of overseeing the internal and external communication operations of a company. They manage the communications department staff, set goals and guidelines, establish budgets and timelines, liaise with key partners, coordinate with different teams to conceptualize and execute plans, and resolve issues promptly. They must also spearhead the development of media and marketing materials, monitoring the workflow and the workforce to ensure efficiency. Moreover, as the communications department head, they must lead and encourage teams to reach goals, all while implementing and promoting the company's policies and regulations.
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 department heads and communications directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Communications Department Head | Communications Director | |
| Average salary | $95,503 | $107,700 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $168,000 | Between $61,000 And $188,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Credit Agricole CIB | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a communications department head and a communications director in terms of educational background:
| Communications Department Head | Communications Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Business | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between communications department heads' and communications directors' demographics:
| Communications Department Head | Communications Director | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.9% Female, 48.1% | Male, 40.2% Female, 59.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 5.3% White, 67.0% 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% |