How much money does a communications director make?

A communications director makes around $90,000 a year on average. However, this can vary significantly, with the bottom percentile earning only around $85,000 a year, while top earners can make over $130,000 as a communications director.

What degree do I need to be a director of communications?

To be a director of communications, a person needs at least a bachelor's degree in order to be considered for the role. This degree is typically held in communications. English, marketing, or public relations.

What skills do you need to be a communications director?

The most important skills for a communications director are excellent verbal and written communications skills and a deep understanding of communication strategies. Unsurprisingly, it is critical that a communications director be an expert communicator, not just for the work they do but also to run their team well.

What is a communications director and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Valerie Cronin-Fisher Ph.D.

A communications director oversees the communication efforts of an organization. They develop and implement strategies to promote the organization's goals, values, and messages to external and internal audiences. A communications director manages a team of professionals who create content for various platforms such as social media, press releases, and website updates. They work closely with executives to ensure that the organization's messaging is consistent, effective, and aligned with its mission.

What's a day at work look like for a communications director?

Valerie Cronin-Fisher Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Communication, Program Coordinator, Communication, Media, and Performance Studies M.A., Governors State University

It is difficult to say what a day in the life of a recent graduate currently looks like as the careers they pursue are highly variable. However, a common theme among Communication graduates is the positive impact they have on their organization and community. Many Communication graduates are interested in public service and social justice. They have honed their critical thinking, interpersonal, and writing skills and because of this they make the world a better place no matter the career path they choose.

ScoreCommunications DirectorUS Average

Salary

7.8

Avg. Salary $107,700

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.7

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.42%

Asian 5.08%

Black or African American 5.82%

Hispanic or Latino 8.99%

Unknown 4.66%

White 75.03%

Gender

female 59.84%

male 40.16%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress level

8.7

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.4

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.8

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a communications director?

Pros

Opportunity to shape and control the organization's messaging
High level of responsibility and influence
Chance to work with a variety of stakeholders and media outlets
Ability to develop and execute creative communications strategies
Chance to build strong relationships with journalists and influencers

Cons

Need to be available 24/7 for crisis management
Responsibility for negative publicity or messaging mistakes
Potential for conflicts with executives or colleagues over messaging or strategy
Difficulty balancing strategic planning with day-to-day tasks
Need to be comfortable with ambiguity and changing priorities

Key steps to become a communications director

Explore communications director education requirements

Most common communications director degrees

Bachelor's

75.5 %

Master's

14.2 %

Associate

6.0 %

Start to develop specific communications director skills

Skills	Percentages
Web Content	8.43%
Press Releases	7.65%
Customer Service	7.24%
External Communications	5.02%
Project Management	4.44%

Complete relevant communications director training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New communications directors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a communications director based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real communications director resumes.

Research communications director duties and responsibilities

Assist in managing the Facebook and Instagram pages.
Develop and manage c-level strategic client relationships to grow revenue base.
Create and manage corporate website, online demand gen through SEO and SEM.
Manage editorial content of the organization website, build and upload web pages via HTML.

Get communications director experience

Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a communications director. The most common roles before becoming a communications director include internship, communications manager team lead and reporter.

Prepare your communications director resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your communications director resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a communications director resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable communications director resume templates

Build a professional communications director resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your communications director resume.