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Job outlook for community relations directors in the United States
Are community relations director jobs in demand?
Community relations director job and salary trends over time
Community relations director jobs over time
Community relations director job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,793 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,728 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,662 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,437 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,263 | 0.00% |
Average community relations director salary over time
Community relations director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $96,788 | $46.53 | +4.1% |
| 2024 | $92,999 | $44.71 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $91,108 | $43.80 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $88,315 | $42.46 | +3.7% |
| 2021 | $85,172 | $40.95 | +3.1% |
Community relations director jobs by state
Most common states for community relations directors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 327 | 47% |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 517 | 13% |
| 3 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 553 | 12% |
| 4 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 552 | 11% |
| 5 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 326 | 11% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 590 | 9% |
| 7 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 318 | 8% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 65 | 7% |
| 9 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,113 | 6% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 311 | 6% |
| 11 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 202 | 6% |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 64 | 6% |
| 13 | California | 39,536,653 | 2,124 | 5% |
| 14 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 427 | 5% |
| 15 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 417 | 5% |
| 16 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 395 | 5% |
| 17 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 330 | 5% |
| 18 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 284 | 5% |
| 19 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 65 | 5% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 33 | 5% |
Most common cities for community relations directors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Herndon | 1 | 4% | $101,838 |
| 2 | Ballwin | 1 | 3% | $97,323 |
| 3 | New Bern | 1 | 3% | $104,069 |
| 4 | Edina | 1 | 2% | $87,194 |
| 5 | North Bethesda | 1 | 2% | $119,370 |
| 6 | Richland | 1 | 2% | $93,460 |
| 7 | Bellevue | 1 | 1% | $93,677 |
| 8 | Brockton | 1 | 1% | $98,141 |
| 9 | Federal Way | 1 | 1% | $93,621 |
| 10 | Oceanside | 1 | 1% | $104,070 |
| 11 | Rockville | 1 | 1% | $119,342 |
| 12 | San Mateo | 1 | 1% | $118,227 |
| 13 | San Francisco | 2 | 0% | $118,371 |
| 14 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $119,892 |
| 15 | Charlotte | 1 | 0% | $98,907 |
| 16 | Irving | 1 | 0% | $76,853 |
| 17 | New Orleans | 1 | 0% | $71,893 |
Community Relations Director job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of community relations director experts
Luther College
Morehouse College
Indiana University Northwest
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Villanova University
Pennsylvania State University - Altoona
Washington State University
PRSSA
Northern Michigan University
Johns Hopkins University
Harding University
Monroe Community College
Sarah Wilder Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorLuther College
Communication Studies Department
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Community Relations Directors?
Sarah Wilder Ph.D.: I don't see how there won't be some sort of enduring impact. If you're asking about the individuals or the career field or all of the above, I suspect the impact of the pandemic will be far-reaching. This has been a life-altering experience on many levels. That being said, I believe humanity continues to show its resilience and that as we navigate the changes, sometimes traumas, of this experience, we also learn and grow from it. Individuals now have a better sense of themselves, their needs, and their goals having had to navigate a pandemic. Further, graduates have been forced to become more adaptable in every way and this will likely carry over into various careers. That these individuals know how to shift quickly between modes of communication may be an expectation and a benefit for them that they can. These graduates can interact face-to-face but have also learned how to interact via mediated channels of communication. Being able to do this, and do it competently, changes the expanse of the workforce. So, from personal to professional facets of their lives, I suspect there will be some lasting impact.
What will help Community Relations Directors increase their earning potential?
Sarah Wilder Ph.D.: Honestly, it's probably the Communication Studies degree itself. Research indicates as much as 70% plus of long-term success in a career is tied to soft skills and that's where graduates of Communication Studies excel. Individuals with this degree are critical thinkers, adaptable, have strong people skills, and obviously, are excellent communicators. Hard skills are necessary. A person has to be able to do the "job" at hand. That being said, if you and another employee can both perform the basic job duties, but you are also adaptable, able to interact with coworkers, train others, make clients feel comfortable and confident etc., you are going to be the one that is promoted, offered new career opportunities, brought into important decision-making positions, and so on. I just had a conversation with an optometrist and she said almost none of her technicians have science or medical backgrounds. She's ready to train the hard skills of the equipment and exam procedures, but she needs to hire people who are excellent communicators, intelligent, and work well with others. The benefits of being able to communicate effectively are never-ending.
What will help Community Relations Directors increase their earning potential?
Matthew Lange Ph.D.: Several articles over the past few years have noted the salary bump for employees with second-language skills. A 2014 report in The Economist entitled "What is a language worth?" indicated, for example, that German proficiency can add a 3.8% bump to your earnings, as calculated by MIT economist Albert Saiz. This increase can come directly from employers who pay a premium for language skills, or the employee can benefit from a larger pool of opportunities that are simply inaccessible to monolingual speakers.
But while many graduates increasingly like to consider return-on-investment (ROI) of a course of study or set of skills, let us not forget that quality of life is important as well, even if it is difficult to quantify. Learning another language and its culture exposes one to another value system that might prefer, for example, more vacation time over increased salary.
Dorothy Ige Campbell
Professor of Communication Emeritus, Founder & Former ChairIndiana University Northwest
Department of Communication
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Community Relations Director job market given the pandemic?
Dorothy Ige Campbell: The emphases on graphic design and emerging media are in demand more than ever in an increasingly virtual world. New workers who have some Public Relations and persuasive communication backgrounds will have an edge. Those who work or go to school in diverse environments and have cross-cultural training during this time of civil rights demands are also suited for the new era. Jobs in Communication have decreased a bit (see below).
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Community Relations Directors?
Dorothy Ige Campbell: A bachelor's degree in Communication is considered ideal for non-academic jobs. For undergraduate degrees, a Communication degree paired with a Minor (such as Business) can be ideal, and that has not changed. Those who wish to teach Communication in secondary schools often complete a four-year degree with a major in Education which stresses teaching methods and childhood development, with an emphasis in Communication. Courses in Drama and English also help secondary teacher preparation in Communication.
For graduate education and academic faculty positions in higher education, a Masters in Communication or a related field for part-time teaching for Junior College teaching of Communication courses is usually required. A Ph. D. is usually required for tenure-track, full-time faculty positions in Communication. Courses in statistical research, theory, then specialty Communication courses (such as Health, Religious or Strategic Communication, and so on) are usually required. At all levels, there is an increased emphasis on diversity in the curriculum.
How have salaries changed over time for Community Relations Directors?
Dorothy Ige Campbell: In general, changes in salaries vary widely by the type of institution (large Research-1 versus a smaller Teaching Campus); rank (part-time versus tenure-track positions, etc). In general, social science fields like Communication salaries tend to fall midway between higher paying science-related fields and lower paying humanities fields. The Chronicle of Higher Education at jobs.chronicle.com as well as the College and University Professional Association (CUPA) at www.cupahr.org and the National Communication Association www.natcom.org are the best sources for specific information on salaries in the various fields. While the newest data is yet being formulated, because of uncertainties about Covid and enrollment drops at some smaller campuses, we expect the demand for new positions to fall slightly, and with less negotiating for higher salaries. Per the NCA website "Communication positions increased by 130 percent from 2009 to 2018-19, before decreasing by 26 percent in 2019-20. . . the weakest year for employment in Communication since 2011." In addition to generalist positions, "Specialists in Strategic Communication/Public Relations/Advertising remained the most sought after." This was followed by "Journalism . . . and Mass Communication/Media Studies/Film Studies." These positions were followed by "Digital/New/Emerging Media, Health, Communication Technology and Intercultural/International/Global Communication."
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Community Relations Directors?
Dr. Derek Johnson Ph.D.: Departments like ours are aware of the added challenges created by the pandemic and we've been taking steps to help our students find opportunities while also helping employers to overcome the challenges of continuing to provide needed experience. Given the uncertainty around in-person work, we've been trying to generate online internships that allow students to connect with employers in safer ways. At the same time as we address the current crisis, we are also working to address long-standing barriers to access that have limited work opportunities based on social status, geography, the ability to support one's self, and more. Virtual internships can help with that, but there's more work to do to make sure everyone has equal opportunity to succeed and to manage the crises we face.
What Community Relations Director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Derek Arnold:
To some extent, deciding to take some time from their job searching and "waiting out" the worse of the pandemic for either health or other personal reasons might be a good choice for some people. I think the key is to work on developing some extra skills online during this time to keep yourself up on relevant news in fields you are interested in; do the same to perhaps train yourself in such things as software and applications such as social media used to network and communicate with other possible contact people, as well as their own targeted audiences.
Once you see what the environment is for future employment, determine how much you will "look around" before you attempt to enter the job market. There might be great opportunities that will present themself to you. Being open to these possibilities, even ahead of your initial "timeline," adds more control to your choices, not limit them. Finally, some extra skills that allow you to communicate with a more diverse group of potential customers might make the difference between you and other job applicants out there. Learning or brushing up on a foreign language (even something like sign language) can give you a crucial edge over someone else who is similar to you in other achievements.
What general advice would you give to a Community Relations Director?
Derek Arnold:
One of the things I stress to my incoming first-year students is that you need to be less concerned about specialized skills right off the start that you might develop over four (or more) years (and many will wind up changing their choice of that major anyhow over their collegiate career) and worry more about strong "general" skills that will apply to multiple areas "out there." I tell them that some jobs available in four years haven't even been created yet. Application software developers, data miners, 3d printing engineers, AI specialists--all these positions were in their infancy only a few years ago. Some of the people in school right now will be among the first who might be hired to fill the new jobs created.
To some extent, the training for them is not complete either, so some basic skills can help you be in the right place at the right time. Skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, logic/argumentation, and strong speaking skills never go out of style and can turn out to be a key to success once you get dropped into a situation that wasn't exactly what you were expecting when you were looking for your first "real" job. Think about it: If you bought stock in a company that employed Zoom support technicians, plexiglass screen manufacturers, and installers, mask makers, or contact tracing application software designers, you are probably sitting in a good place right now. The key is to be prepared, ready, and willing to explore new opportunities as they arise; there's a lot you can learn on the fly, but having a well developed, sensible pattern to address general questions to solve problems (or even what questions you need to ask) can put you in advantageous positions. There is a crying need for this, especially in today's ever-changing world.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Community Relations Directors in the next 5 years?
Stefanie Kempton: I think there will be an increase in demand for graduates in communications in the next five years. The pandemic has clearly shown the critical importance of the communications field. Communication technologies, like Zoom, have become essential to conduct business and maintain social and personal lives. News outlets have also become even more critical. Television news viewership and newspaper readership reached new levels of audience engagement during the pandemic.
COVID-19 information is continuously changing and emerging, and it impacts everyone, regardless of demographic, so audiences flocked to news outlets. There has also been a resurgence of traditional television news consumption because more people are at home. Public relations and marketing became even more critical because businesses had to keep customers informed about the latest updates and do all they could to reassure customers that their business places were safe. I think the communications industry's recognized importance will remain even after the pandemic, and so the need for graduates will continue to increase.
What experience really stands out on Community Relations Director resumes?
Brett Atwood: During the pandemic, finding a job is going to be more challenging than usual for new college graduates. To get a headstart on their job search, students should be proactive in optimizing their resumes and online portfolios, before they even graduate.
Prospective job seekers should make sure that their resumes contain the same keywords used by employers when describing key qualifications. That's because many hiring managers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) software to better manage and filter through a high volume of job prospects and applications. This means that there may be keyword filters used as resumes are scanned to identify top candidates who make the cut for consideration.
When we talk to employers about the skills they value most, one of the key things we hear is that writing is still fundamentally important. We may be in an age where texting and short-form communication is the norm for many students, but many employers bemoan the lack of candidates who possess the ability to communicate clearly using complete sentences, proper grammar, and (when appropriate) AP style compliance.
Employers want to see evidence of strong content creation skills and strategic thinking. That's why students should also prepare an online portfolio to accompany their resume. This can be hosted on a third-party platform or website creation service (such as WordPress or Wix) or even nested within your LinkedIn presence using its "Featured" section that allows the addition of links, articles, and media to your profile. A prospective employer will feel much more comfortable hiring someone after they see writing samples and/or examples of their work. Students who lack strong professional experience can still build a portfolio using elements that were created as part of an internship or class assignment.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Community Relations Directors in the next 3-5 years?
Brett Atwood: I think practitioners will have more data tracking and campaign targeting tools and services to choose from in the next few years. These tools are already in wide use, but the landscape is getting increasingly complex due to the emergence of even more Big Data resources that allow for more granular and accurate segmentation and tracking. More privacy and consumer protection regulations will also add to the complexity as practitioners will need to manage and navigate through the differing data protection laws from individual U.S. states and global territories. Despite these challenges, practitioners will be expected to possess some intermediate-level data analysis skills, alongside their mastery of content creation and campaign planning.
What Community Relations Director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Carolyn Lok: Based on the role or industry you're aiming for, I would suggest conducting research on the kinds of skills you should have, so that you can continue to stimulate your learning. There are a lot of trade skill certifications out there that anyone can look up and learn more about. Some of the ones I'd recommend for someone looking to go into PR or social media are Hootsuite, Facebook Analytics, or Google Analytics. You can also go on a website like Skillshare to discover even more. PRSSA offers students who are within six months of graduation (before and after) the opportunity to earn their Certificate in Principles of Public Relations. It offers lessons around communications models, media relations, ethics, and more.
What experience really stands out on Community Relations Director resumes?
Carolyn Lok: It depends on where and what you're applying for. In my experience, it's not about the kind of experience that makes you stand out. It's what you do with every experience or internship you've had. You get out what you put in. If there's a position you're looking to get hired for, look into what skills you need to get there and then seek out opportunities that allow you to grow and refine yourself as an applicant.
What Community Relations Director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Antony Aumann Ph.D.: There are many ways to fill a gap year, and the wisest approach is one that fits the unique circumstances of the student. If they hope to go on in philosophy, I will encourage them to continue reading philosophical texts so as to keep their minds in the game. Another way to stay sharp is to attend a philosophy conference. Many professional conferences are going online due to the pandemic, and their virtual nature is driving down the costs of attendance. For instance, the annual meeting of the American Society for Aesthetics in November is charging people only $10 to register. At this price point, it is reasonable to pop into a few sessions that strike one's fancy. This advice generalizes across disciplines. To remain current in your field, keep reading the relevant literature, and consider attending a professional conference. Make sure to ask your professors for advice about which texts and conferences are worth your while.
What are the best companies to work for a Community Relations Director?
Taylor Hahn Ph.D.: I don't want to endorse or focus on any specific company here. However, I think that Communication graduates will find that nearly every organization requires an extensive communication team. One of the significant benefits of a degree in Comm is adapting to an organization's communication needs. Graduates should consider focusing on organizations seeking to expand their communication efforts (either improving existing initiatives or reaching into new mediums) and that are able and willing to innovate (open to new ideas, willing to let employees build and develop communication initiatives). Many organizations are opposed to innovations in communication, either in form or content. This might be a warning sign for applicants.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Community Relations Directors in the next 5 years?
Taylor Hahn Ph.D.: There will always be a demand for competent communication experts, and we expect this trend to continue into the next five years and beyond. In 2019 MarketWatch listed Communication within the top 10 most versatile majors available to undergraduates https://www.natcom.org/sites/default/files/publications/NCA_CBrief_Vol9_6.pdf Communication, ranking above Computer Science and Information Technology. This demonstrates that employers are aware of the need for communication experts. While everyone needs to keep up-to-date on new trends in comm (new forms of digital communication, for example), the degree's core components are nearly universally desired and needed across markets and organizations.
Dr. Ginger Blackstone Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorHarding University
Department of Communication
What type of skills will young Community Relations Directors need?
Dr. Ginger Blackstone Ph.D.: When it comes to gathering information, the old school values are still fundamental: Get to the facts, verify the things people say (anyone can say anything--find ways to prove/disprove statements), be curious about the world and the community around you, and don't be afraid to hold our leaders accountable. Our mission is to inform the audience and get to the truth--no matter what party or ideology. Once a journalist has that information, clear communication skills are a must. Can you write and speak clearly? These are the old school values that are still very important for the field. But looking at current audience trends, today's journalists must be flexible in terms of presentation and platforms. The best journalists are dependable writers both in print and digital media, able to speak clearly to accommodate podcasts and radio, and comfortable speaking in front of a camera for social media and broadcast outlets. Audiences are all over, and journalists need to be ready to connect to audiences where they are. If we want to inform the public, we need to make sure the message is getting to the public. And the news/information/media industries are always changing.
As far as being a good employee, it's relatively simple:
- Show up on time
- Dress like a responsible journalist
- Do the job you're paid to do
- Play nice with coworkers
- Be ethical
- Build trust with your supervisors
- Have ideas for what stories you want to pursue
If something about the workflow isn't functioning well, don't be shy about proposing a solution instead of complaining about it to others. These seem like little things, but you will be valued as an employee when you're reliable and responsible. And if you're in a dysfunctional news operation where these qualities are not respected, you'll want to find a place where they are. Also, if you leave a job, don't burn bridges. Everyone in this industry talks to everyone else.
Rebecca Griffin
Chair and Assistant ProfessorMonroe Community College
Hospitality Department
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Community Relations Directors?
Rebecca Griffin: Yes, there has certainly been an impact on the entire hospitality and tourism industry, but the industry will recover with time. Many of our graduates are finding employment, and even during this time, we regularly have employers reaching out for experienced and qualified candidates. Many businesses are working on rebranding themselves during this time.