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The differences between external relations directors 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 an external relations director and a public relations manager. Additionally, an external relations director has an average salary of $130,849, which is higher than the $91,426 average annual salary of a public relations manager.
The top three skills for an external relations director include project management, external relations and oversight. The most important skills for a public relations manager are press releases, web content, and pr campaigns.
| External Relations Director | Public Relations Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $130,849 | $91,426 |
| Hourly rate | $62.91 | $43.95 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 22,848 | 35,273 |
| 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 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.
External relations directors and public relations managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| External Relations Director | Public Relations Manager | |
| Average salary | $130,849 | $91,426 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $208,000 | Between $64,000 And $128,000 |
| Highest paying City | Davis, CA | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Phoenix Children's | |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between an external relations director and a public relations manager in terms of educational background:
| External Relations Director | Public Relations Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between external relations directors' and public relations managers' demographics:
| External Relations Director | Public Relations Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.1% Female, 55.9% | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% |
| 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, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |