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The differences between directors of economic development and directors of public affairs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a director of economic development and a director of public affairs. Additionally, a director of public affairs has an average salary of $114,639, which is higher than the $107,578 average annual salary of a director of economic development.
The top three skills for a director of economic development include business development, project management and real estate. The most important skills for a director of public affairs are government affairs, public policy, and external stakeholders.
| Director Of Economic Development | Director Of Public Affairs | |
| Yearly salary | $107,578 | $114,639 |
| Hourly rate | $51.72 | $55.11 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 55,938 | 26,290 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An economic development director develops and spearheads the implementation of economic development programs in a city. They usually work for the city government, although there are some who work for private companies. It is their responsibility to perform market research and analysis, developing strategies to help the city in building positive relationships with businesses and potential economic partners. Moreover, as an economic development director, they are also responsible for managing and directing staff, encouraging them to reach project goals while implementing policies and standards.
Directors of Public Affairs are executives who manage the public relations and communications initiatives of the company. They oversee all external communications that are intended for broadcast. They create guidelines on the proper crafting of communication materials that will be published or broadcasted. They also lead the public affairs department in networking activities and industry events. Directors of Public Affairs must be level-headed, calm, and creative. They should know how to communicate with the public, handle crises, and create successful brands.
Directors of economic development and directors of public affairs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director Of Economic Development | Director Of Public Affairs | |
| Average salary | $107,578 | $114,639 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $180,000 | Between $70,000 And $187,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Nevada |
| Best paying company | AstraZeneca | Kaiser Permanente |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a director of economic development and a director of public affairs in terms of educational background:
| Director Of Economic Development | Director Of Public Affairs | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Political Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between directors of economic development' and directors of public affairs' demographics:
| Director Of Economic Development | Director Of Public Affairs | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.1% Female, 35.9% | Male, 57.6% Female, 42.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |