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The differences between external relations directors and media directors 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 media director. Additionally, an external relations director has an average salary of $130,849, which is higher than the $112,564 average annual salary of a media director.
The top three skills for an external relations director include project management, external relations and oversight. The most important skills for a media director are digital marketing, video production, and media planning.
| External Relations Director | Media Director | |
| Yearly salary | $130,849 | $112,564 |
| Hourly rate | $62.91 | $54.12 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 22,848 | 22,511 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| 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 media director spearheads and oversees a company's entire media-related activities, including marketing and advertising campaigns. They are in charge of setting goals and guidelines, liaising and building positive relationships with external parties, conceptualizing plans for projects and campaigns, and developing strategies to optimize operations. It is also their duty to address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a media director, it is essential to monitor the progress of different teams, leading and encouraging them to reach goals while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
External relations directors and media directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| External Relations Director | Media Director | |
| Average salary | $130,849 | $112,564 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $208,000 | Between $73,000 And $172,000 |
| Highest paying City | Davis, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Phoenix Children's | |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Professional |
There are a few differences between an external relations director and a media director in terms of educational background:
| External Relations Director | Media Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Business | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between external relations directors' and media directors' demographics:
| External Relations Director | Media Director | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.1% Female, 55.9% | Male, 62.0% Female, 38.0% |
| 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, 6.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |