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The differences between directors of public affairs and directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a director of public affairs, becoming a director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a director of public affairs has an average salary of $114,639, which is higher than the $113,489 average annual salary of a director.
The top three skills for a director of public affairs include government affairs, public policy and external stakeholders. The most important skills for a director are healthcare, customer service, and oversight.
| Director Of Public Affairs | Director | |
| Yearly salary | $114,639 | $113,489 |
| Hourly rate | $55.11 | $54.56 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 26,290 | 230,711 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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 work in show business, whether in a film, a television show, or a theatre production. They are responsible for bringing the material to life. They work with the writers to get a clear vision of how the production should look. They lead the production team in planning for the production, identifying filming or rehearsing schedules, casting for roles, and other aspects that need to be decided upon. Directors provide direction to the actors to ensure that the actors understand their role and will be able to effectively convey emotions to the audience. They also manage all other crew members and communicate their expectations clearly so that everyone on the set is working towards one vision.
Directors of public affairs and directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Director Of Public Affairs | Director | |
| Average salary | $114,639 | $113,489 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $187,000 | Between $66,000 And $192,000 |
| Highest paying City | Las Vegas, NV | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | New York |
| Best paying company | Kaiser Permanente | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Finance |
There are a few differences between a director of public affairs and a director in terms of educational background:
| Director Of Public Affairs | Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Political Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between directors of public affairs' and directors' demographics:
| Director Of Public Affairs | Director | |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.6% Female, 42.4% | Male, 53.2% Female, 46.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 14% |