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The differences between major gifts officers 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 a major gifts officer and a media director. Additionally, a media director has an average salary of $112,564, which is higher than the $84,209 average annual salary of a major gifts officer.
The top three skills for a major gifts officer include moves management, solicitation strategies and donor prospects. The most important skills for a media director are digital marketing, video production, and media planning.
| Major Gifts Officer | Media Director | |
| Yearly salary | $84,209 | $112,564 |
| Hourly rate | $40.49 | $54.12 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 63,570 | 22,511 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A major gifts officer is responsible for coordinating with organizations and sponsors for donation purposes to support an institution's cause and activities for social services. Major gifts officers identify donors by conducting in-depth research, usually those personalities who have a history of donating to organizations. They provide presentations and an objective outline to the potential sponsors, respond to their inquiries and concerns, and manage their presence during the event proper. A major gifts officer must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing reports and planning events efficiently.
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.
Major gifts officers and media directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Major Gifts Officer | Media Director | |
| Average salary | $84,209 | $112,564 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $132,000 | Between $73,000 And $172,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Earthjustice | |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Professional |
There are a few differences between a major gifts officer and a media director in terms of educational background:
| Major Gifts Officer | Media Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Business | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between major gifts officers' and media directors' demographics:
| Major Gifts Officer | Media Director | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8% | Male, 62.0% Female, 38.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.7% 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% |