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The differences between external relations directors and managers 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 manager of special events. Additionally, an external relations director has an average salary of $130,849, which is higher than the $56,716 average annual salary of a manager 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 manager of special events are customer service, event planning, and event management.
| External Relations Director | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Yearly salary | $130,849 | $56,716 |
| Hourly rate | $62.91 | $27.27 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 22,848 | 15,818 |
| 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 manager of special events is responsible for organizing events and programs for a company and various organizations. Managers of special events monitor the event procedures from conceptualization to the actual execution. They analyze the event purpose, manage participants' list, coordinate with suppliers for resources, allocate budget accurately, and ensure that the program outlines and agendas are polished on time. A manager of special events must have excellent communication and organizational skills to deliver a successful event and resolve complications as they arise.
External relations directors and managers of special events have different pay scales, as shown below.
| External Relations Director | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Average salary | $130,849 | $56,716 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $208,000 | Between $31,000 And $101,000 |
| Highest paying City | Davis, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Phoenix Children's | ESPN |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between an external relations director and a manager of special events in terms of educational background:
| External Relations Director | Manager 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 managers of special events' demographics:
| External Relations Director | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.1% Female, 55.9% | Male, 29.7% Female, 70.3% |
| 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, 5.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |