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How much does a Communications Director make?

As of April 01, 2025, the average annual salary for a Communications Director in the United States is $176,827. Salary.com reports that pay typically ranges from $159,654 to $197,253, with most professionals earning between $144,019 and $215,850.

Communications Director Salaries by Percentile
Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $197,253 $16,438 $3,793 $95
Average $176,827 $14,736 $3,401 $85
25th Percentile $159,654 $13,305 $3,070 $77

Average Salary

25% $159,654 10% $144,019 90% $215,850 75% $197,253 $176,827 50%(Median)
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How much does a Communications Director make by hour, week, month, and year?

Salary.com provides you with accurate and diversified Communications Director salary data based on specialized databases to help you get a fairer salary. Click the switch button below to see more details about Communications Director hourly pay, weekly pay, monthly pay and so on.

Last Updated on April 01, 2025

How Does Experience Level Affect a Communications Director's Salary?

An entry-level Communications Director with less than 1 year of experience earns about $166,318. With 1-2 years of experience, the average salary increases to $167,856. For 2-4 years of experience, the pay typically rises to $169,907. Senior-level professionals with 5-8 years of experience earn around $172,470, and those with over 8 years of experience can expect an average of $175,033.

Levels Salary
Entry Level Communications Director $166,318
Intermediate Level Communications Director $167,856
Senior Level Communications Director $169,907
Specialist Level Communications Director $172,470
Expert Level Communications Director $175,033
$166,318 0 yr
$167,856 < 2 yrs
$169,907 2-4 yrs
$172,470 5-8 yrs
$175,033 > 8 yrs
Last Updated on April 01, 2025
Entry Level 6%
Mid Level 5%
Senior Level 4%
Top Level 2%
Experienced 1%
View as graph
Last Updated on April 01, 2025

How much does salary of Communications Director vary from city to city?

Salaries in the United States can vary greatly between cities due to factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.

For example, as of April 01, 2025:
  • In San Francisco, CA, the average yearly salary for a Communications Director is $220,839.
  • In New York, NY, the average annual salary is $204,925.
  • In Boston, MA, a Communications Director earns $197,215 per year.

What is the salary trend of Communications Director?

As of April 01, 2025, our research reveals a significant shift in Communications Director compensation over the past six years. For example, the median salary increased from $169,001 in 2023 to approximately $163,951 in 2024. (For a detailed analysis of Communications Director salary trends, click here.)

Key factors like location, experience, industry demand, and economic growth significantly influence salary variations, making them important to consider.

Average Annual Salary of Communications Director Over Time

2020
$???
2021
$???
2022
$???
$169,001
2023
$163,951
2024
$161,628
2025
2026
$???
Last Updated on April 01, 2025
2020
$???
2021
$???
2022
$???
2023
$169,001
2024
$163,951
2025
$161,628
2026
$???
Last Updated on April 01, 2025

Communications Director Salary by Year

Year Average Annual Salary
2020 View More
2021 View More
2022 View More
2023 $169,001
2024 $163,951
2025 $161,628
2026 View More
Last Updated on April 01, 2025

Job Openings of Communications Director

Salary.com job board provides millions of Communications Director information for you to search for. Click on search button below to see Communications Director job openings or enter a new job title here.

Most Common Benefits for Communications Director

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Base Salary 73.5%
Bonuses 0.0%
Social Security 5.4%
401k/403b 3.1%
Disability 1.5%
Healthcare 3.5%
Pension 4.0%
Time Off 9.1%
Core Compensation
Core Compensation Median % of Total
Base Salary $176,827 73.5%
Bonus $0 0.0%
Value of Benefits
Core Compensation Median % of Total
Social Security $13,017 5.4%
401K/403B $7,427 3.1%
Disability $3,537 1.5%
Healthcare $8,352 3.5%
Pension $9,549 4.0%
Time Off $21,763 9.1%
Total Compensation $240,472 100%
Core Compensation is based on averages for this job and does not reflect personal factors used to determine your projected salary range.
Value of Benefits indicates the employer's expected contribution and paid time off.
Last Updated on April 01, 2025

What are the salaries of a Communications Director with different levels of education?

Salaries for Communications Director with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate

According to our 100% employer reported salary sources the median salary for a Communications Director with a Bachelor's Degree is $179,639 - $191,835. Please try our salary wizard to explore how other factors like location, Years of experience and number of direct reports can impact your base pay and bonus.

Communications Director Salaries by Degree Level

Last Updated on April 01, 2025
Typical Education for Communications Director
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 2.7%
Associates 2.4%
Bachelors 56.0%
Masters 36.6%
Doctorate 2.2%
Typical Education for Communications Director
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 2.7%
Associates 2.4%
Bachelors 56.0%
Masters 36.6%
Doctorate 2.2%
view as table

Communications Director Salaries by Degree Level

Last Updated on April 01, 2025

What Am I Worth?

FAQ about Communications Director

1. What is the average salary of a Communications Director?

The average annual salary of Communications Director is $176,827. In case you are finding an easy salary calculator, the average hourly pay of Communications Director is $85; the average weekly pay of Communications Director is $3,401; the average monthly pay of Communications Director is $14,736.

2. Where can a Communications Director earn the most?

A Communications Director's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Communications Director earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Communications Director is $223,032.

3. What is the highest pay for Communications Director?

The highest pay for Communications Director is $215,850.

4. What is the lowest pay for Communications Director?

The lowest pay for Communications Director is $144,019.

5. What are the responsibilities of Communications Director?

Directs an organization's internal and external communications strategies and programs. Directs and oversees communications programs that effectively describe and promote the organization and its products. May conduct market or public opinion research to assess program outcomes. Suggests promotional campaign ideas in various types of media, as well as counsels top management on effective communication strategies. Requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to senior management. Manages a departmental sub-function within a broader departmental function. Creates functional strategies and specific objectives for the sub-function and develops budgets/policies/procedures to support the functional infrastructure. Typically requires 5+ years of managerial experience. Deep knowledge of the managed sub-function and solid knowledge of the overall departmental function.

6. What are the skills of Communications Director

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.

2.)

Marketing Communications: Marketing communications (MC, marcom(s), marcomm(s)) uses different marketing channels and tools in combination: Marketing communication channels focus on any way a business communicates a message to its desired market, or the market in general. A marketing communication tool can be anything from: advertising, personal selling, direct marketing, sponsorship, communication, and promotion to public relations. MC are made up of the marketing mix which is made up of 4P's: Price, Promotion, Place and Product, for a business selling goods, and made up of 7P's: Price, Promotion, Place, Product, People, Physical evidence and Process, for a service based business.

3.)

Microsoft Office: Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.

About Our Data

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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The average salary for a Communications Director is $176,827 per year in the United States, updated at April 01, 2025.
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