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The differences between external relations directors and directors of special events can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an external relations director and a director of special events. Additionally, an external relations director has an average salary of $130,849, which is higher than the $63,671 average annual salary of a director of special events.
The top three skills for an external relations director include project management, external relations and oversight. The most important skills for a director of special events are event planning, alumni, and event management.
| External Relations Director | Director Of Special Events | |
| Yearly salary | $130,849 | $63,671 |
| Hourly rate | $62.91 | $30.61 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 22,848 | 23,252 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An external relations director is responsible for helping a company or entity establish good public relations by creating a good market perception. The professional's responsibilities include giving communications counseling to the leadership team and ensuring compliance with appropriate facility conditions and sanitation standards. The job requires good communication, leadership, and organizational skills to accomplish such responsibilities. The job's education requirements include possessing a college degree in business, public relations, marketing, or other related fields.
A director of special events spearheads and oversees the planning and execution of various events, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. They typically set goals and guidelines, manage schedules and timelines, outline plans and strategies, coordinate managers and different departments, and liaise with vendors and suppliers, building positive business relationships in the process. Moreover, as a director, it is essential to lead and encourage staff to reach goals while implementing and promoting the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
External relations directors and directors of special events have different pay scales, as shown below.
| External Relations Director | Director Of Special Events | |
| Average salary | $130,849 | $63,671 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $208,000 | Between $35,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | Davis, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | Phoenix Children's | NRDC |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Professional |
There are a few differences between an external relations director and a director of special events in terms of educational background:
| External Relations Director | Director Of Special Events | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between external relations directors' and directors of special events' demographics:
| External Relations Director | Director Of Special Events | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.1% Female, 55.9% | Male, 25.1% Female, 74.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |