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Director of economic development vs public relations manager

The differences between directors of economic development and public relations 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 director of economic development and a public relations manager. Additionally, a director of economic development has an average salary of $107,578, which is higher than the $91,426 average annual salary of a public relations manager.

The top three skills for a director of economic development include business development, project management and real estate. The most important skills for a public relations manager are press releases, web content, and pr campaigns.

Director of economic development vs public relations manager overview

Director Of Economic DevelopmentPublic Relations Manager
Yearly salary$107,578$91,426
Hourly rate$51.72$43.95
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs55,93835,273
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

What does a director of economic development do?

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.

What does a public relations manager do?

A public relations manager is responsible for monitoring the public relations department to boost its brand image and attract potential clients through press releases and media coverage. They work closely with the marketing team, developing marketing campaigns and promotional strategies for creating brand awareness. Public relations managers maintain the company's presence on various social media platforms, responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns regarding the company's goods and services. A public relations manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially in identifying business opportunities to increase revenues and profitability.

Director of economic development vs public relations manager salary

Directors of economic development and public relations managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Director Of Economic DevelopmentPublic Relations Manager
Average salary$107,578$91,426
Salary rangeBetween $64,000 And $180,000Between $64,000 And $128,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MALas Vegas, NV
Highest paying stateMassachusettsNevada
Best paying companyAstraZenecaGoogle
Best paying industryHealth CareTechnology

Differences between director of economic development and public relations manager education

There are a few differences between a director of economic development and a public relations manager in terms of educational background:

Director Of Economic DevelopmentPublic Relations Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common majorBusinessCommunication
Most common collegeStanford UniversityNorthwestern University

Director of economic development vs public relations manager demographics

Here are the differences between directors of economic development' and public relations managers' demographics:

Director Of Economic DevelopmentPublic Relations Manager
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 64.1% Female, 35.9%Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5%
Race ratioBlack 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, 5.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage16%16%

Differences between director of economic development and public relations manager duties and responsibilities

Director of economic development example responsibilities.

  • Lead and manage the implementation of the Medicaid network contract optimization initiatives.
  • Manage domestic and international travel arrangements including transportation, lodging, and logistics for individuals and groups utilizing travel management systems.
  • Serve as interim Texas Medicaid CFO for several months until a replacement CFO are hired.
  • Manage domestic and international travel arrangements including transportation, lodging, and logistics for individuals and groups utilizing travel management systems.
  • Develop and coordinate program operations compliant with federal TANF and local program requirements.

Public relations manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage social media - provide content ideas, monitor FB and Instagram activity.
  • Manage events and promotions; create Christmas event, manage twitter account and make marketing plans.
  • Lead a successful rebranding effort to transition the organization into a premier corporate training provider in SoCal.
  • Lead a rebranding and revitalization of the intranet by focusing on improving internal communication, search capabilities, and branding elements.
  • Interview featured alumni, manage copywriting staff and editorial calendar, and coordinate photography.
  • Maintain strong working relationships across all departments to manage successful on-site opportunities, content and multimedia asset development and spokesperson requests.
  • Show more

Director of economic development vs public relations manager skills

Common director of economic development skills
  • Business Development, 12%
  • Project Management, 12%
  • Real Estate, 8%
  • Global Health, 7%
  • Community Development, 7%
  • Economic Development, 5%
Common public relations manager skills
  • Press Releases, 20%
  • Web Content, 5%
  • Pr Campaigns, 4%
  • Marketing Campaigns, 4%
  • Digital Marketing, 4%
  • Facebook, 3%

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