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The differences between media directors and media managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a media director, becoming a media manager takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, a media director has an average salary of $112,564, which is higher than the $96,475 average annual salary of a media manager.
The top three skills for a media director include digital marketing, video production and media planning. The most important skills for a media manager are digital marketing, kpis, and media planning.
| Media Director | Media Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $112,564 | $96,475 |
| Hourly rate | $54.12 | $46.38 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 22,511 | 110,888 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 10 |
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.
Media managers oversee the department that works on the different communication needs of the company. They execute the communications strategies of the company. They are expected to be updated with the current trends on media platforms. They should also be very familiar with the company and are attuned to the company's brand and image so that they can create relevant communications campaigns. Media managers oversee content creation on different media platforms. They manage the research related to the content they are working on. They develop materials and ensure that these materials are engaging and relatable to the target audience.
Media directors and media managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Media Director | Media Manager | |
| Average salary | $112,564 | $96,475 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $172,000 | Between $66,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Pennsylvania |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a media director and a media manager in terms of educational background:
| Media Director | Media Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between media directors' and media managers' demographics:
| Media Director | Media Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.0% Female, 38.0% | Male, 51.7% Female, 48.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 10% |