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The differences between vice president of communications and directors of public affairs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a vice president of communication and a director of public affairs. Additionally, a vice president of communication has an average salary of $156,662, which is higher than the $114,639 average annual salary of a director of public affairs.
The top three skills for a vice president of communication include strategic communications, external communications and press releases. The most important skills for a director of public affairs are government affairs, public policy, and external stakeholders.
| Vice President Of Communication | Director Of Public Affairs | |
| Yearly salary | $156,662 | $114,639 |
| Hourly rate | $75.32 | $55.11 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 43,726 | 26,290 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A vice president of communication is in charge of overseeing and implementing internal and external communication programs. Their responsibilities revolve around setting goals and objectives, allocating budgets, delegating tasks, liaising with key clients, and managing the workforce to ensure an efficient workflow. They may also produce progress reports for the president and other executives, prepare presentations, develop business plans, and devise strategies to optimize services and operations. Furthermore, as vice president, it is essential to implement the company's policies and regulations, creating new ones as needed.
Directors of Public Affairs are executives who manage the public relations and communications initiatives of the company. They oversee all external communications that are intended for broadcast. They create guidelines on the proper crafting of communication materials that will be published or broadcasted. They also lead the public affairs department in networking activities and industry events. Directors of Public Affairs must be level-headed, calm, and creative. They should know how to communicate with the public, handle crises, and create successful brands.
Vice president of communications and directors of public affairs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Vice President Of Communication | Director Of Public Affairs | |
| Average salary | $156,662 | $114,639 |
| Salary range | Between $94,000 And $258,000 | Between $70,000 And $187,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group | Kaiser Permanente |
| Best paying industry | Media | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a vice president of communication and a director of public affairs in terms of educational background:
| Vice President Of Communication | Director Of Public Affairs | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Political Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between vice president of communications' and directors of public affairs' demographics:
| Vice President Of Communication | Director Of Public Affairs | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.9% Female, 55.1% | Male, 57.6% Female, 42.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |