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The differences between external relations directors and vice president of communications 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 vice president of communication. Additionally, a vice president of communication has an average salary of $156,662, which is higher than the $130,849 average annual salary of an external relations director.
The top three skills for an external relations director include project management, external relations and oversight. The most important skills for a vice president of communication are strategic communications, external communications, and press releases.
| External Relations Director | Vice President Of Communication | |
| Yearly salary | $130,849 | $156,662 |
| Hourly rate | $62.91 | $75.32 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 22,848 | 43,726 |
| 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 vice president of communication is in charge of overseeing and implementing internal and external communication programs. Their responsibilities revolve around setting goals and objectives, allocating budgets, delegating tasks, liaising with key clients, and managing the workforce to ensure an efficient workflow. They may also produce progress reports for the president and other executives, prepare presentations, develop business plans, and devise strategies to optimize services and operations. Furthermore, as vice president, it is essential to implement the company's policies and regulations, creating new ones as needed.
External relations directors and vice president of communications have different pay scales, as shown below.
| External Relations Director | Vice President Of Communication | |
| Average salary | $130,849 | $156,662 |
| Salary range | Between $82,000 And $208,000 | Between $94,000 And $258,000 |
| Highest paying City | Davis, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Phoenix Children's | Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Media |
There are a few differences between an external relations director and a vice president of communication in terms of educational background:
| External Relations Director | Vice President Of Communication | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between external relations directors' and vice president of communications' demographics:
| External Relations Director | Vice President Of Communication | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.1% Female, 55.9% | Male, 44.9% Female, 55.1% |
| 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, 8.9% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |