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The differences between media directors and public information officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a media director and a public information officer. Additionally, a media director has an average salary of $112,564, which is higher than the $56,725 average annual salary of a public information officer.
The top three skills for a media director include digital marketing, video production and media planning. The most important skills for a public information officer are press releases, web content, and community outreach.
| Media Director | Public Information Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $112,564 | $56,725 |
| Hourly rate | $54.12 | $27.27 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 22,511 | 129,237 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
The primary job of a public information officer involves the promotion of a positive public image on social media. Public information officers offer significant information during a crisis. They collect facts and distribute them to the media and organize special events like awards ceremonies. Typically, they work for large organizations and government agencies. They maintain their online presence that can be part of the duties of public information. Also, they can work for long hours on an irregular schedule, especially when the incidents or situations affect the organization.
Media directors and public information officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Media Director | Public Information Officer | |
| Average salary | $112,564 | $56,725 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $172,000 | Between $38,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Fairfield, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Delaware |
| Best paying company | City of Fairfield | |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a media director and a public information officer in terms of educational background:
| Media Director | Public Information Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between media directors' and public information officers' demographics:
| Media Director | Public Information Officer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.0% Female, 38.0% | Male, 43.7% Female, 56.3% |
| 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, 5.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |