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The differences between media relations directors and directors of public affairs 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 relations director and a director of public affairs. Additionally, a media relations director has an average salary of $115,268, which is higher than the $114,639 average annual salary of a director of public affairs.
The top three skills for a media relations director include web content, spokesperson and crisis communications. The most important skills for a director of public affairs are government affairs, public policy, and external stakeholders.
| Media Relations Director | Director Of Public Affairs | |
| Yearly salary | $115,268 | $114,639 |
| Hourly rate | $55.42 | $55.11 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 32,391 | 26,290 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Media Relations Director spearheads and oversees the brand image and overall media relations of an organization. They are responsible for making advertising and marketing decisions, setting goals and guidelines, establishing budgets and timelines, managing and coordinating directors, liaising with internal and external parties, delegating tasks among teams, and developing strategies from planning to execution. A Media Relations Director leads and encourages staff to reach goals while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Directors of Public Affairs are executives who manage the public relations and communications initiatives of the company. They oversee all external communications that are intended for broadcast. They create guidelines on the proper crafting of communication materials that will be published or broadcasted. They also lead the public affairs department in networking activities and industry events. Directors of Public Affairs must be level-headed, calm, and creative. They should know how to communicate with the public, handle crises, and create successful brands.
Media relations directors and directors of public affairs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Media Relations Director | Director Of Public Affairs | |
| Average salary | $115,268 | $114,639 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $188,000 | Between $70,000 And $187,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Phoenix Children's | Kaiser Permanente |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a media relations director and a director of public affairs in terms of educational background:
| Media Relations Director | Director Of Public Affairs | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Communication | Political Science |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between media relations directors' and directors of public affairs' demographics:
| Media Relations Director | Director Of Public Affairs | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.2% Female, 38.8% | Male, 57.6% Female, 42.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.6% 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% |