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Director strategic communications salary
Average director strategic communications salary
$105,320
Average Director Strategic Communications Salary
The Director of Strategic Communications earns an average salary of $105,320 per year in the United States. This figure can vary widely, reflecting differences in location, industry, and individual experience. For instance, directors working in major metropolitan areas often command higher salaries due to increased demand and cost of living.
Factors Influencing Salary
Experience plays a significant role in determining salary levels. Directors with more years in the field typically earn more, as do those who transition to higher-paying industries such as technology or healthcare. Additionally, companies with substantial budgets for marketing communications may offer competitive packages that include bonuses and benefits.
Highest Paying Locations
States like California and New York frequently feature the highest salaries for this role, reflecting the concentration of major corporations and agencies in these areas. Cities like San Francisco and New York City consistently rank at the top for compensation, making them attractive locations for job seekers.
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Where can a Director Strategic Communications earn more?
Average director strategic communications salary by state
The average director strategic communications salary in Nevada, New Mexico, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average director strategic communications salary states are Alaska, Ohio, and Montana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for directors strategic communications
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $129,867 | $62.44 |
| 2 | Delaware | $119,997 | $57.69 |
| 3 | Nevada | $131,728 | $63.33 |
| 4 | California | $125,181 | $60.18 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $112,301 | $53.99 |
| 6 | Georgia | $122,610 | $58.95 |
| 7 | South Dakota | $107,068 | $51.48 |
| 8 | Texas | $119,822 | $57.61 |
| 9 | New York | $117,832 | $56.65 |
| 10 | Washington | $117,291 | $56.39 |
| 11 | Colorado | $117,746 | $56.61 |
| 12 | Arkansas | $119,466 | $57.44 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $118,643 | $57.04 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $115,447 | $55.50 |
| 15 | Oregon | $110,217 | $52.99 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | $100,081 | $48.12 |
| 17 | Kansas | $116,946 | $56.22 |
| 18 | Alabama | $98,701 | $47.45 |
| 19 | Michigan | $113,555 | $54.59 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $106,242 | $51.08 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $101,035 | $48.57 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $112,118 | $53.90 |
| 23 | Arizona | $103,596 | $49.81 |
| 24 | Virginia | $101,232 | $48.67 |
| 25 | Vermont | $96,200 | $46.25 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $101,294 | $48.70 |
| 27 | Indiana | $100,386 | $48.26 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $98,428 | $47.32 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $90,355 | $43.44 |
| 30 | Idaho | $96,868 | $46.57 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $94,164 | $45.27 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $91,944 | $44.20 |
| 33 | Iowa | $97,503 | $46.88 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $95,383 | $45.86 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $94,562 | $45.46 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $94,310 | $45.34 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $89,604 | $43.08 |
| 38 | Utah | $91,672 | $44.07 |
| 39 | Maryland | $93,656 | $45.03 |
| 40 | Wyoming | $87,943 | $42.28 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $92,721 | $44.58 |
| 42 | Missouri | $93,006 | $44.71 |
| 43 | Florida | $93,031 | $44.73 |
| 44 | Illinois | $87,936 | $42.28 |
| 45 | Alaska | $87,137 | $41.89 |
| 46 | Montana | $85,675 | $41.19 |
| 47 | Pennsylvania | $88,705 | $42.65 |
| 48 | Ohio | $87,033 | $41.84 |
| 49 | Minnesota | $83,000 | $39.90 |
| 50 | Maine | $73,785 | $35.47 |
| 51 | New Hampshire | $79,827 | $38.38 |
Highest paying cities for directors strategic communications
The highest-paying cities for directors strategic communications are Carson City, NV, San Francisco, CA, and Atlanta, GA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carson City, NV | $133,559 | $64.21 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $127,090 | $61.10 |
| 3 | Atlanta, GA | $123,280 | $59.27 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $121,754 | $58.54 |
| 5 | Olympia, WA | $120,592 | $57.98 |
| 6 | Little Rock, AR | $120,279 | $57.83 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $119,269 | $57.34 |
| 8 | Englewood, CO | $118,153 | $56.80 |
| 9 | Salina, KS | $117,078 | $56.29 |
| 10 | Boston, MA | $106,097 | $51.01 |
| 11 | Knoxville, TN | $102,486 | $49.27 |
| 12 | Richmond, VA | $101,225 | $48.67 |
| 13 | Carmel, IN | $100,733 | $48.43 |
| 14 | Oklahoma City, OK | $100,354 | $48.25 |
| 15 | Davenport, IA | $98,847 | $47.52 |
| 16 | Kenosha, WI | $96,976 | $46.62 |
| 17 | Lincoln, NE | $94,684 | $45.52 |
| 18 | Gainesville, FL | $94,332 | $45.35 |
| 19 | Providence, RI | $93,900 | $45.14 |
| 20 | Bethesda, MD | $93,836 | $45.11 |
Director strategic communications salary details
A director strategic communications's salary ranges from $66,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $167,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a director strategic communications's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $167,000 | $13,917 | $80 |
| 75th Percentile | $134,000 | $11,167 | $64 |
| Average | $105,320 | $8,777 | $51 |
| 25th Percentile | $82,000 | $6,833 | $39 |
| 10th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
Highest paying director strategic communications jobs
The highest paying types of directors strategic communications are vice president of communication, director, customer relations, and marketing director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Development Director | $109,396 | $9,116 | $52.59 | 66,252 |
| Community Relations Director | $96,788 | $8,066 | $46.53 | 33,569 |
| Public Relations Director | $94,692 | $7,891 | $45.52 | 31,693 |
| Publication Director | $87,824 | $7,319 | $42.22 | 14,660 |
| Marketing Director | $114,906 | $9,575 | $55.24 | 93,503 |
| Public Relations Manager | $91,426 | $7,619 | $43.95 | 35,273 |
Top companies hiring directors strategic communications now:
Which companies pay directors strategic communications the most?
Director strategic communications salaries at The Hatcher Group and MongoDB are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average director strategic communications salary at companies like Riot Games and Wpp Us Holdings Inc are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Hatcher Group | $162,529 | $78.14 |
| 2 | MongoDB | $156,956 | $75.46 |
| 3 | Riot Games | $148,413 | $71.35 |
| 4 | Wpp Us Holdings Inc | $148,388 | $71.34 |
| 5 | AbbVie | $144,720 | $69.58 |
| 6 | Oracle | $142,455 | $68.49 |
| 7 | SunPower | $140,884 | $67.73 |
| 8 | Grand Rounds | $140,630 | $67.61 |
| 9 | FTI Consulting | $137,958 | $66.33 |
| 10 | Arrow Electronics | $134,343 | $64.59 |
| 11 | Salesforce | $133,470 | $64.17 |
| 12 | New York University | $132,101 | $63.51 |
| 13 | Emory Healthcare | $130,425 | $62.70 |
| 14 | Johnson & Johnson | $128,769 | $61.91 |
| 15 | American Express | $126,542 | $60.84 |
| 16 | Something Digital | $123,894 | $59.56 |
| 17 | General Motors | $123,138 | $59.20 |
| 18 | Northwestern Mutual | $120,236 | $57.81 |
| 19 | Chobani | $119,294 | $57.35 |
| 20 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $118,186 | $56.82 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Director strategic communications salary trends
The average director strategic communications salary has risen by $24,739 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average director strategic communications earned $80,581 annually, but today, they earn $105,320 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for directors strategic communications over the last decade.
Compare director strategic communications salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average director strategic communications salary over time
Compare director strategic communications salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Director strategic communications salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $105,000 | $50.63 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $101,000 | $48.65 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | $99,100 | $47.66 | +3.1% |
| 2022 | $96,100 | $46.20 | +3.6% |
| 2021 | $92,700 | $44.56 | +3.0% |
Recently added director strategic communications salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Chicago | Director, Strategic Communications and Marketing | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $85,000 |
| University of Minnesota | Director of Strategic Communications & Outreach | Minneapolis, MN | 06/28/2025 | $73,000 |
| Fountain House | Director, Strategic Communications | New York, NY | 06/20/2025 | $140,000 |
| Priceline.com | Director of Strategic Supply | Orlando, FL | 06/18/2025 | $130,000 |
| University of Maryland | Assistant Director of Strategic Communications & Content Development | Maryland | 06/15/2025 | $51,000 |
| Bayer Cropscience Ltd. | Deputy Director, Integrated Strategic Communications-NA Pharmaceuticals-Women's Healthcare | Downe, NJ | 06/14/2025 | $136,415 |
| Bayer | Deputy Director, Integrated Strategic Communications-NA Pharmaceuticals-Women's Healthcare | Downe, NJ | 06/13/2025 | $136,415 |
| Fort Worth Independent School District | Executive Director of Strategic Communications | Fort Worth, TX | 06/13/2025 | $117,081 |
| Fort Worth ISD | Executive Director of Strategic Communications | Nome, TX | 06/13/2025 | $117,081 |
| Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC | Assistant Director of Strategic Communications | Washington, DC | 06/09/2025 | $85,000 |
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