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The differences between communications department heads and communications managers 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 manager. Additionally, a communications department head has an average salary of $95,503, which is higher than the $81,304 average annual salary of a communications manager.
The top three skills for a communications department head include communications strategy, external communications and external stakeholders. The most important skills for a communications manager are customer service, property management, and yardi.
| Communications Department Head | Communications Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $95,503 | $81,304 |
| Hourly rate | $45.91 | $39.09 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 51,594 | 26,350 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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 manager is responsible for overseeing a company or organization's public relations by devising various strategies and finding new opportunities. They must craft and produce marketing materials such as campaigns, advertisements, newsletters, social media engagements, and press releases to shape and improve a brand or company. Furthermore, a communications manager must accomplish administrative tasks such as preparing reports and necessary documentation, reaching out to advertisers, leading communication letters, and coordinating with marketing personnel from other departments.
Communications department heads and communications managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Communications Department Head | Communications Manager | |
| Average salary | $95,503 | $81,304 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $168,000 | Between $53,000 And $122,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Credit Agricole CIB | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a communications department head and a communications manager in terms of educational background:
| Communications Department Head | Communications Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between communications department heads' and communications managers' demographics:
| Communications Department Head | Communications Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.9% Female, 48.1% | Male, 34.9% Female, 65.1% |
| 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, 6.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 16% |