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Associate director of communications salary
Average associate director of communications salary
$93,716
Understanding the Salary of an Associate Director of Communications
The role of an Associate Director of Communications is crucial in managing internal and external communications. As of October 2025, the average salary stands at $93,716 annually. However, this figure can vary significantly depending on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
In states like California and New York, salaries tend to be higher, reflecting the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. For example, the highest-paying states for this role often offer salaries exceeding $100,000. In addition, experience plays a vital role; professionals with over ten years in the field can command salaries significantly above the average.
Career Opportunities
Job opportunities for Associate Directors of Communications span various sectors, including corporate businesses, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions. Each sector values strong communication skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to engage diverse audiences. As organizations increasingly prioritize effective communication strategies, the demand for qualified professionals is expected to grow.
Salary Trends Over Time
Salary trends indicate a steady increase for Associate Directors of Communications over the past few years, driven by the evolving nature of communication in a digital era. Monitoring these trends can help job seekers make informed decisions about their career paths.
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Where can an Associate Director Of Communications earn more?
Associate director of communications salary estimates from across the web
Average associate director of communications salary by state
The average associate director of communications salary in New Jersey, Washington, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average associate director of communications salary states are Missouri, Iowa, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for associate directors of communications
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $130,287 | $62.64 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $130,883 | $62.92 |
| 3 | California | $121,489 | $58.41 |
| 4 | New York | $114,647 | $55.12 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $119,560 | $57.48 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $116,378 | $55.95 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $106,889 | $51.39 |
| 8 | Oregon | $113,914 | $54.77 |
| 9 | Virginia | $106,658 | $51.28 |
| 10 | Arizona | $110,127 | $52.95 |
| 11 | Texas | $108,458 | $52.14 |
| 12 | Ohio | $111,303 | $53.51 |
| 13 | Illinois | $104,030 | $50.01 |
| 14 | Idaho | $98,920 | $47.56 |
| 15 | Delaware | $98,295 | $47.26 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $100,658 | $48.39 |
| 17 | Maryland | $104,373 | $50.18 |
| 18 | Nevada | $98,856 | $47.53 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $100,885 | $48.50 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $99,659 | $47.91 |
| 21 | Alaska | $97,853 | $47.04 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $92,131 | $44.29 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $95,912 | $46.11 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $97,194 | $46.73 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $96,091 | $46.20 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $87,783 | $42.20 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $87,126 | $41.89 |
| 28 | Colorado | $96,271 | $46.28 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $92,668 | $44.55 |
| 30 | Utah | $89,929 | $43.24 |
| 31 | Vermont | $84,350 | $40.55 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $91,876 | $44.17 |
| 33 | Michigan | $89,840 | $43.19 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $86,872 | $41.77 |
| 35 | Minnesota | $92,402 | $44.42 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $77,942 | $37.47 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $79,761 | $38.35 |
| 38 | Alabama | $78,871 | $37.92 |
| 39 | Indiana | $86,023 | $41.36 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $86,450 | $41.56 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $82,813 | $39.81 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $80,530 | $38.72 |
| 43 | Montana | $78,323 | $37.66 |
| 44 | Georgia | $81,226 | $39.05 |
| 45 | Florida | $84,214 | $40.49 |
| 46 | Maine | $71,379 | $34.32 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $73,784 | $35.47 |
| 48 | Iowa | $75,403 | $36.25 |
| 49 | Missouri | $76,020 | $36.55 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $74,644 | $35.89 |
| 51 | Kansas | $72,012 | $34.62 |
Highest paying cities for associate directors of communications
The highest-paying cities for associate directors of communications are Jersey City, NJ, Bothell, WA, and Foster City, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jersey City, NJ | $133,030 | $63.96 |
| 2 | Bothell, WA | $132,404 | $63.66 |
| 3 | Foster City, CA | $129,067 | $62.05 |
| 4 | East Hartford, CT | $119,888 | $57.64 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $117,113 | $56.30 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $115,604 | $55.58 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $110,873 | $53.30 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $109,514 | $52.65 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $105,239 | $50.60 |
| 10 | Columbia, MD | $104,618 | $50.30 |
| 11 | Amherst, MA | $101,497 | $48.80 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $100,370 | $48.25 |
| 13 | Wilmington, DE | $98,438 | $47.33 |
| 14 | Lakewood, CO | $96,323 | $46.31 |
| 15 | Eden Prairie, MN | $92,634 | $44.54 |
| 16 | Detroit, MI | $90,232 | $43.38 |
| 17 | Gainesville, FL | $86,661 | $41.66 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $80,688 | $38.79 |
| 19 | Saint Louis, MO | $76,869 | $36.96 |
| 20 | Columbia, SC | $74,950 | $36.03 |
Associate director of communications salary details
An associate director of communications's salary ranges from $60,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $145,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an associate director of communications's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $145,000 | $12,083 | $70 |
| 75th Percentile | $118,000 | $9,833 | $57 |
| Average | $93,716 | $7,810 | $45 |
| 25th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 10th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
Highest paying associate director of communications jobs
The highest paying types of associate directors of communications are vice president of communication, vice president of public relations, and chief of staff.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Of Staff | $130,835 | $10,903 | $62.90 | 124,272 |
| Public Relations Internship | $30,868 | $2,572 | $14.84 | 65,163 |
| Social Media Internship | $31,145 | $2,595 | $14.97 | 79,411 |
| Director | $113,489 | $9,457 | $54.56 | 230,711 |
| Communications Consultant | $91,455 | $7,621 | $43.97 | 29,942 |
| Communications Internship | $33,458 | $2,788 | $16.09 | 62,641 |
Top companies hiring associate directors of communications now:
Which companies pay associate directors of communications the most?
Associate director of communications salaries at AstraZeneca and Novo Nordisk are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average associate director of communications salary at companies like Biogen and Sarepta Therapeutics are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AstraZeneca | $160,168 | $77.00 |
| 2 | Novo Nordisk | $156,321 | $75.15 |
| 3 | Biogen | $153,417 | $73.76 |
| 4 | Sarepta Therapeutics | $150,462 | $72.34 |
| 5 | APCO Worldwide | $146,689 | $70.52 |
| 6 | $146,369 | $70.37 | |
| 7 | Novartis | $144,878 | $69.65 |
| 8 | Sanofi US | $144,420 | $69.43 |
| 9 | Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | $144,243 | $69.35 |
| 10 | Alexion Pharmaceuticals | $139,449 | $67.04 |
| 11 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $138,855 | $66.76 |
| 12 | Novavax | $138,528 | $66.60 |
| 13 | Wpp Us Holdings Inc | $136,066 | $65.42 |
| 14 | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | $131,639 | $63.29 |
| 15 | Merck | $130,895 | $62.93 |
| 16 | Bayer | $130,804 | $62.89 |
| 17 | Gilead Sciences | $129,046 | $62.04 |
| 18 | Seagen | $128,637 | $61.84 |
| 19 | Brigham and Women's Hospital | $126,824 | $60.97 |
| 20 | UBS | $126,266 | $60.70 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Associate director of communications salary trends
The average associate director of communications salary has risen by $14,353 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average associate director of communications earned $79,363 annually, but today, they earn $93,716 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for associate directors of communications over the last decade.
Compare associate director of communications salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average associate director of communications salary over time
Compare associate director of communications salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Associate director of communications salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $93,700 | $45.06 | +2.6% |
| 2025 | $91,200 | $43.87 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $89,500 | $43.04 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $88,500 | $42.54 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $86,600 | $41.62 | +2.2% |
Recently added associate director of communications salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington | Associate Director, Regional Communications | Charlotte, NC | 06/29/2025 | $93,000 |
| Eli Lilly and Company | Associate Director-Communications | Indianapolis, IN | 06/26/2025 | $122,250 |
| Huntington Bancshares Inc. | Associate Director, Regional Communications | Chicago, IL | 06/26/2025 | $93,000 |
| Huntington Bancshares Inc. | Associate Director, Regional Communications | Denver, CO | 06/26/2025 | $93,000 |
| Insmedorporated | Associate Director, Product Communications | Bridgewater, NJ | 06/26/2025 | $139,000 |
| Insmed, Inc. | Associate Director, Product Communications | Bridgewater, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $139,000 |
| SCU Credit Union | Senior Associate Director of Donor Communications | Santa Clara, CA | 06/25/2025 | $96,600 |
| Boise State University | Associate Director of Communications | Boise, ID | 06/25/2025 | $80,829 |
| American University | Associate Director of Alumni Communications & Marketing | Washington, DC | 06/24/2025 | $70,000 |
| Third Rock Ventures | Associate Director, Medical Communication Operations | Redwood City, CA | 06/24/2025 | $180,000 |
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