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Publication director salary
Average publication director salary
$87,824
Understanding Publication Director Salaries
As a Publication Director, your salary can vary significantly based on several factors. The average salary stands at $87,824 per year, translating to approximately $42 per hour. This compensation reflects the demand for skilled professionals who can manage content strategies effectively. Geographic location plays a crucial role; states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and competitive job markets.
Key Factors Impacting Salary
Experience level is another major determinant. Those with extensive backgrounds in publishing or related fields can command higher salaries. Additionally, the industry you work in can influence your pay scale. For instance, publication directors in the technology or healthcare sectors may earn more than those in educational publishing.
Job Opportunities
To explore opportunities in this field, consider checking job boards and company listings. Zippia offers a platform where you can find publication director positions that match your skills and preferences. By understanding salary dynamics and industry trends, you can make informed decisions regarding your career path as a Publication Director.
Let Zippia find your next publication director job
Let Zippia find your next publication director job
Where can a Publication Director earn more?
Publication director salary estimates from across the web
Average publication director salary by state
The average publication director salary in Delaware, New Jersey, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average publication director salary states are Alabama, Nebraska, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for publication directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $116,165 | $55.85 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $112,684 | $54.17 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $114,980 | $55.28 |
| 4 | South Dakota | $100,807 | $48.46 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $109,546 | $52.67 |
| 6 | Nevada | $112,756 | $54.21 |
| 7 | California | $108,648 | $52.23 |
| 8 | Louisiana | $98,951 | $47.57 |
| 9 | Oregon | $103,607 | $49.81 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $107,915 | $51.88 |
| 11 | Vermont | $104,422 | $50.20 |
| 12 | Arizona | $99,557 | $47.86 |
| 13 | Maryland | $106,287 | $51.10 |
| 14 | Iowa | $102,381 | $49.22 |
| 15 | New York | $98,538 | $47.37 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $102,455 | $49.26 |
| 17 | Arkansas | $95,928 | $46.12 |
| 18 | Ohio | $99,894 | $48.03 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $100,562 | $48.35 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $97,450 | $46.85 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $84,273 | $40.52 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $95,962 | $46.14 |
| 23 | Kansas | $97,652 | $46.95 |
| 24 | Virginia | $91,836 | $44.15 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $93,272 | $44.84 |
| 26 | Alaska | $90,805 | $43.66 |
| 27 | Utah | $85,193 | $40.96 |
| 28 | Missouri | $92,663 | $44.55 |
| 29 | Idaho | $90,756 | $43.63 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $91,486 | $43.98 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | $86,788 | $41.73 |
| 32 | Montana | $84,747 | $40.74 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $80,993 | $38.94 |
| 34 | Washington | $85,229 | $40.98 |
| 35 | Indiana | $84,583 | $40.66 |
| 36 | Texas | $83,626 | $40.20 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $83,382 | $40.09 |
| 38 | Michigan | $83,485 | $40.14 |
| 39 | Georgia | $83,262 | $40.03 |
| 40 | Illinois | $81,817 | $39.34 |
| 41 | Alabama | $76,498 | $36.78 |
| 42 | Colorado | $85,086 | $40.91 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $73,479 | $35.33 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $72,451 | $34.83 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $80,783 | $38.84 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $67,518 | $32.46 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $79,475 | $38.21 |
| 48 | Maine | $81,634 | $39.25 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $80,684 | $38.79 |
| 50 | Florida | $67,935 | $32.66 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $73,492 | $35.33 |
Highest paying cities for publication directors
The highest-paying cities for publication directors are Carson City, NV, Dover, DE, and Clifton, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carson City, NV | $118,675 | $57.06 |
| 2 | Dover, DE | $117,652 | $56.56 |
| 3 | Clifton, NJ | $116,448 | $55.98 |
| 4 | San Francisco, CA | $115,175 | $55.37 |
| 5 | Albuquerque, NM | $110,227 | $52.99 |
| 6 | Concord, NH | $109,765 | $52.77 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $107,269 | $51.57 |
| 8 | Salem, OR | $104,454 | $50.22 |
| 9 | Washington, DC | $102,983 | $49.51 |
| 10 | Des Moines, IA | $101,308 | $48.71 |
| 11 | Bismarck, ND | $100,652 | $48.39 |
| 12 | Columbus, OH | $100,110 | $48.13 |
| 13 | Baton Rouge, LA | $99,885 | $48.02 |
| 14 | New York, NY | $99,043 | $47.62 |
| 15 | Arlington, VA | $93,409 | $44.91 |
| 16 | Madison, WI | $93,020 | $44.72 |
| 17 | Boston, MA | $86,736 | $41.70 |
| 18 | Seattle, WA | $85,458 | $41.09 |
| 19 | Denver, CO | $84,978 | $40.85 |
| 20 | Arlington, TX | $84,607 | $40.68 |
Publication director salary details
A publication director's salary ranges from $49,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $154,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a publication director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $154,000 | $12,833 | $74 |
| 75th Percentile | $118,000 | $9,833 | $57 |
| Average | $87,824 | $7,319 | $42 |
| 25th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
| 10th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
Highest paying publication director jobs
The highest paying types of publication directors are vice president of communication, vice president of public relations, and director, customer relations.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campaign Manager | $78,890 | $6,574 | $37.93 | 12,293 |
| Director Of Marketing And Public Relations | $86,626 | $7,219 | $41.65 | 94,651 |
| Manager Of Special Events | $56,716 | $4,726 | $27.27 | 15,818 |
| Director, Customer Relations | $134,672 | $11,223 | $64.75 | 26,470 |
| Director Of Client Relations | $116,480 | $9,707 | $56.00 | 63,226 |
| Director Of Public Affairs | $114,639 | $9,553 | $55.11 | 26,290 |
Top companies hiring publication directors now:
Which companies pay publication directors the most?
Publication director salaries at Biogen and Meta are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average publication director salary at companies like Accenture and Amicus Therapeutics are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biogen | $169,845 | $81.66 |
| 2 | Meta | $166,012 | $79.81 |
| 3 | Accenture | $141,066 | $67.82 |
| 4 | Amicus Therapeutics | $135,158 | $64.98 |
| 5 | Bravo Group | $133,774 | $64.31 |
| 6 | Starz | $131,134 | $63.05 |
| 7 | Bayer | $127,150 | $61.13 |
| 8 | Gartner | $121,251 | $58.29 |
| 9 | HarperCollins | $119,220 | $57.32 |
| 10 | IBM | $117,403 | $56.44 |
| 11 | The Walt Disney Company | $115,993 | $55.77 |
| 12 | Blackstone Group | $112,238 | $53.96 |
| 13 | Mars | $105,719 | $50.83 |
| 14 | Icma-rc | $104,525 | $50.25 |
| 15 | ChargePoint | $101,802 | $48.94 |
| 16 | C3 AI | $92,500 | $44.47 |
| 17 | Legendary Entertainment | $92,376 | $44.41 |
| 18 | WarnerMedia | $91,870 | $44.17 |
| 19 | ACLU of Illinois | $89,364 | $42.96 |
| 20 | Vantage Data Centers | $89,038 | $42.81 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Publication Director salary by industry
The average publication director salary varies across industries:
- The average publication director salary in the media industry is $85,020, the highest of any industry.
- The average publication director salary in the finance industry is $76,137.
- Publication directors in the education industry earn an average salary of $68,585, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for publication directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Media | $85,020 | $40.88 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $76,137 | $36.60 |
| 3 | Professional | $73,896 | $35.53 |
| 4 | Government | $71,152 | $34.21 |
| 5 | Education | $68,585 | $32.97 |
High paying publication director jobs
Publication director salary trends
The average publication director salary has risen by $20,629 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average publication director earned $67,195 annually, but today, they earn $87,824 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for publication directors over the last decade.
Compare publication director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average publication director salary over time
Compare publication director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Publication director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $87,800 | $42.22 | +3.9% |
| 2025 | $84,400 | $40.57 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $82,700 | $39.75 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $80,100 | $38.53 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $77,300 | $37.16 | +3.0% |
Recently added publication director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exelixis | Assoc Scientific Publications Director | Alameda, CA | 06/30/2025 | $158,000 |
| Syndaxpharmaceuticals | Director, Publications | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $230,000 |
| Syndax Pharmaceuticals | Director, Publications | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $230,000 |
| Doordash USA | Director, Head of U.S. State & Local Public Policy | Washington, NY | 06/16/2025 | $190,400 |
| Alzheimer's Association | Director, Public Policy | Anchorage, AK | 06/13/2025 | $95,000 |
| City of Albemarle | Assistant Public Utilities Director | Albemarle, NC | 06/10/2025 | $60,000 |
| Sony Music Entertainment | Director, Publicity | New York, NY | 06/09/2025 | $105,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Mar Monte Careers | Public Affairs Director of Nevada | North Las Vegas, NV | 06/02/2025 | $113,066 |
| Greater Spokaneorporated | Director of Public Policy | Spokane, WA | 06/02/2025 | $85,000 |
| Bertelsmann | Publicity Director, Bantam Delacorte Dell (Hybrid) | New York, NY | 05/28/2025 | $100,000 |
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