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Communications officer salary
Average communications officer salary
$40,161
Average Communications Officer Salary
The average salary for a Communications Officer is $40,161 per year, or approximately $19 per hour. This figure reflects the diverse roles within the field, from public relations to corporate communications. Salaries can vary significantly by state and industry. For instance, Communications Officers in high-demand industries often see increased compensation compared to their counterparts in nonprofit sectors.
Where Can a Communications Officer Earn More?
Geographic location plays a crucial role in salary variations. States like California, New York, and Texas tend to offer higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for skilled communicators. Additionally, years of experience can lead to higher salaries, with seasoned professionals earning significantly more than entry-level counterparts.
Job Opportunities
As organizations prioritize effective communication strategies, the demand for skilled Communications Officers continues to grow. Job openings can be found in various sectors, including healthcare, education, and corporate environments. Exploring these opportunities can lead to rewarding career advancements and salary increases.
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Where can a Communications Officer earn more?
Communications officer salary estimates from across the web
Average communications officer salary by state
The average communications officer salary in New York, Delaware, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average communications officer salary states are Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for communications officers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $62,200 | $29.90 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $56,756 | $27.29 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $50,383 | $24.22 |
| 4 | Idaho | $50,253 | $24.16 |
| 5 | Maryland | $55,631 | $26.75 |
| 6 | Nevada | $49,396 | $23.75 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $54,108 | $26.01 |
| 8 | South Dakota | $49,237 | $23.67 |
| 9 | Michigan | $55,367 | $26.62 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $51,734 | $24.87 |
| 11 | Delaware | $61,766 | $29.70 |
| 12 | Vermont | $48,746 | $23.44 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $51,636 | $24.82 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $48,831 | $23.48 |
| 15 | Iowa | $48,884 | $23.50 |
| 16 | California | $50,895 | $24.47 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $59,201 | $28.46 |
| 18 | Nebraska | $46,721 | $22.46 |
| 19 | Washington | $47,066 | $22.63 |
| 20 | Oregon | $49,173 | $23.64 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $49,703 | $23.90 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $43,081 | $20.71 |
| 23 | Ohio | $44,985 | $21.63 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $44,422 | $21.36 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $42,115 | $20.25 |
| 26 | Colorado | $42,840 | $20.60 |
| 27 | Kansas | $44,005 | $21.16 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $39,329 | $18.91 |
| 29 | Alaska | $44,741 | $21.51 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $40,043 | $19.25 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $39,168 | $18.83 |
| 32 | Illinois | $40,203 | $19.33 |
| 33 | Missouri | $41,654 | $20.03 |
| 34 | Arizona | $37,298 | $17.93 |
| 35 | Maine | $36,964 | $17.77 |
| 36 | Indiana | $38,741 | $18.63 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $35,121 | $16.89 |
| 38 | Virginia | $41,530 | $19.97 |
| 39 | Montana | $39,933 | $19.20 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $37,541 | $18.05 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $28,756 | $13.82 |
| 42 | Utah | $38,584 | $18.55 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $36,388 | $17.49 |
| 44 | Georgia | $30,635 | $14.73 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $30,303 | $14.57 |
| 46 | Alabama | $30,520 | $14.67 |
| 47 | Texas | $29,453 | $14.16 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $28,493 | $13.70 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $34,714 | $16.69 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $28,692 | $13.79 |
| 51 | Florida | $29,353 | $14.11 |
Highest paying cities for communications officers
The highest-paying cities for communications officers are New York, NY, Washington, DC, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $62,553 | $30.07 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $59,196 | $28.46 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $56,318 | $27.08 |
| 4 | Baltimore, MD | $56,070 | $26.96 |
| 5 | Ann Arbor, MI | $55,158 | $26.52 |
| 6 | New Haven, CT | $49,960 | $24.02 |
| 7 | Eugene, OR | $49,138 | $23.62 |
| 8 | Long Beach, CA | $48,855 | $23.49 |
| 9 | Olympia, WA | $47,294 | $22.74 |
| 10 | McLean, VA | $45,253 | $21.76 |
| 11 | West Bend, WI | $44,666 | $21.47 |
| 12 | Denver, CO | $42,978 | $20.66 |
| 13 | Saint Louis, MO | $41,718 | $20.06 |
| 14 | Cincinnati, OH | $40,214 | $19.33 |
| 15 | Lawrenceville, GA | $30,898 | $14.85 |
| 16 | Fort Worth, TX | $29,685 | $14.27 |
| 17 | Jacksonville, FL | $29,534 | $14.20 |
Communications officer salary details
A communications officer's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $62,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a communications officer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| Average | $40,161 | $3,347 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying communications officer jobs
The highest paying types of communications officers are vice president of communication, director of public affairs, and media director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Media Director | $112,564 | $9,380 | $54.12 | 22,511 |
| Police Dispatcher | $37,402 | $3,117 | $17.98 | 6,964 |
| Social Media Director | $70,846 | $5,904 | $34.06 | 39,016 |
| Director Of Public Affairs | $114,639 | $9,553 | $55.11 | 26,290 |
| Manager Of Special Events | $56,716 | $4,726 | $27.27 | 15,818 |
| Public Safety Dispatcher | $35,063 | $2,922 | $16.86 | 25,700 |
Top companies hiring communications officers now:
Which companies pay communications officers the most?
Communications officer salaries at Morgan Stanley and Cook Children's Medical Center are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average communications officer salary at companies like Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Columbia University in the City of New York are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morgan Stanley | $88,274 | $42.44 |
| 2 | Cook Children's Medical Center | $67,470 | $32.44 |
| 3 | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | $58,923 | $28.33 |
| 4 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $52,137 | $25.07 |
| 5 | Committee to Protect Journalists | $51,100 | $24.57 |
| 6 | City of Jacksonville | $50,275 | $24.17 |
| 7 | Yale University | $49,527 | $23.81 |
| 8 | Harvard University | $49,257 | $23.68 |
| 9 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $49,070 | $23.59 |
| 10 | Salve Regina University | $48,571 | $23.35 |
| 11 | Bhutan Foundation | $48,194 | $23.17 |
| 12 | Concern Worldwide | $48,111 | $23.13 |
| 13 | Brigham and Women's Hospital | $47,690 | $22.93 |
| 14 | CDC Foundation | $47,520 | $22.85 |
| 15 | City of Palm Bay | $47,346 | $22.76 |
| 16 | UC Santa Barbara | $46,787 | $22.49 |
| 17 | Alliance Defending Freedom | $46,737 | $22.47 |
| 18 | Lycoming College | $45,409 | $21.83 |
| 19 | Washington State University | $45,312 | $21.78 |
| 20 | City of Alpharetta | $45,288 | $21.77 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Communications Officer salary by industry
The average communications officer salary varies across industries:
- The average communications officer salary in the non profits industry is $43,787, the highest of any industry.
- The average communications officer salary in the finance industry is $39,656.
- Communications officers in the professional industry earn an average salary of $37,374, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for communications officers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non Profits | $43,787 | $21.05 |
| 2 | Education | $39,656 | $19.07 |
| 3 | Government | $38,912 | $18.71 |
| 4 | Professional | $37,374 | $17.97 |
High paying communications officer jobs
Communications officer salary trends
The average communications officer salary has risen by $9,433 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average communications officer earned $30,728 annually, but today, they earn $40,161 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for communications officers over the last decade.
Compare communications officer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average communications officer salary over time
Compare communications officer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Communications officer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $40,200 | $19.31 | +3.9% |
| 2025 | $38,600 | $18.55 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $37,800 | $18.18 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $36,600 | $17.62 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $35,300 | $16.99 | +3.0% |
Recently added communications officer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County of Hawaii (Hi | Fire Communications Officer I-SR | Hilo, HI | 06/30/2025 | $57,192 |
| City of Augusta Ga | E911 Communication Officer II | Augusta, GA | 06/28/2025 | $43,621 |
| Alcatraz Cruises | Ship's Communication Officer-Seaward Services | Norfolk, VA | 06/28/2025 | $95,559 |
| Cleveland Clinic | Communications Officer | Beachwood, OH | 06/27/2025 | $36,001 |
| State of Louisiana | Communications Officer 1 or 2 | Noble, LA | 06/27/2025 | $33,408 |
| Hornblower Group | Ship's Communication Officer-Seaward Services | Norfolk, VA | 06/27/2025 | $95,559 |
| Hornblower | Ship's Communication Officer-Seaward Services | Norfolk, VA | 06/27/2025 | $95,559 |
| University of Central Oklahoma | Communications Officer-Psfty | Edmond, OK | 06/26/2025 | $31,990 |
| City of Melbourne, Fl | Communications Officer II | Melbourne, FL | 06/26/2025 | $46,061 |
| Alcorn State University | Communication Officer | Lyman, MS | 06/26/2025 | $22,525 |
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