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The differences between public information officers and directors of communications and marketing can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a public information officer, becoming a director of communications and marketing takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, a director of communications and marketing has an average salary of $87,324, which is higher than the $56,725 average annual salary of a public information officer.
The top three skills for a public information officer include press releases, web content and community outreach. The most important skills for a director of communications and marketing are web content, strategic communications, and marketing campaigns.
| Public Information Officer | Director Of Communications And Marketing | |
| Yearly salary | $56,725 | $87,324 |
| Hourly rate | $27.27 | $41.98 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 129,237 | 109,600 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 10 |
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.
A director of communications and marketing spearheads a company's marketing and communication projects in adherence with the company's vision and mission. Being the director, they have the authority to make decisions, delegate responsibilities among managers and teams, and direct the project and program cycle from planning to execution, solving issues and concerns if any would arise. They also set goals and budgets, establish timelines and requirements, and conduct regular assessments. Additionally, as a director, they must lead and empower employees in a joint effort to reach goals and industry standards.
Public information officers and directors of communications and marketing have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Information Officer | Director Of Communications And Marketing | |
| Average salary | $56,725 | $87,324 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $83,000 | Between $57,000 And $133,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fairfield, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | New York |
| Best paying company | City of Fairfield | Paul Hastings |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a public information officer and a director of communications and marketing in terms of educational background:
| Public Information Officer | Director Of Communications And Marketing | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between public information officers' and directors of communications and marketing' demographics:
| Public Information Officer | Director Of Communications And Marketing | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.7% Female, 56.3% | Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |