Emergency Management Directors: Career Profile
Plan and direct disaster response or crisis management activities, provide disaster preparedness training, and prepare emergency plans and procedures for natural (e.g., hurricanes, floods, earthquakes), wartime, or technological (e.g., nuclear power plant emergencies or hazardous materials spills) disasters or hostage situations.
Featured schools near , edit
What Do Emergency Management Directors Do?
Typical responsibilities of emergency management directors cover:
- Consult with officials of local and area governments, schools, hospitals, and other institutions to determine their needs and capabilities in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency.
- Develop and maintain liaisons with municipalities, county departments, and similar entities to facilitate plan development, response effort coordination, and exchanges of personnel and equipment.
- Coordinate disaster response or crisis management activities, such as ordering evacuations, opening public shelters, and implementing special needs plans and programs.
- Prepare emergency situation status reports that describe response and recovery efforts, needs, and preliminary damage assessments.
- Maintain and update all resource materials associated with emergency preparedness plans.
- Prepare plans that outline operating procedures to be used in response to disasters or emergencies, such as hurricanes, nuclear accidents, and terrorist attacks, and in recovery from these events.
- Develop and perform tests and evaluations of emergency management plans in accordance with state and federal regulations.
- Collaborate with other officials to prepare and analyze damage assessments following disasters or emergencies.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful emergency management directors draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- 911 Communications Manager
- Change Management Specialist
- Civil Defense Director
- Civil Preparedness Officer
- Disaster Response Director
- Emergency Management Coordinator
- Emergency Management Director
- Emergency Management Planner
How Many Emergency Management Directors Are There?
The U.S. employs around 347,365 emergency management directors working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +12.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Emergency Management Directors Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $72,305 |
| Hourly median | $34.76 |
| 10th percentile | $47,816 |
| 25th percentile | $60,061 |
| 75th percentile | $84,550 |
| 90th percentile | $96,795 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $185,810 |
| Washington | $129,110 |
| California | $126,210 |
| Massachusetts | $115,200 |
| New Mexico | $111,980 |
| Colorado | $109,710 |
| New Jersey | $108,780 |
| Oregon | $106,870 |
| Maryland | $104,270 |
| Connecticut | $103,390 |
| Minnesota | $99,600 |
| Alaska | $98,420 |
| Florida | $95,360 |
| Louisiana | $93,970 |
| Texas | $90,650 |
| New York | $90,130 |
| Rhode Island | $88,960 |
| Nebraska | $86,580 |
| Virginia | $85,690 |
| Ohio | $85,580 |
| North Carolina | $85,490 |
| Idaho | $85,280 |
| South Carolina | $82,780 |
| Nevada | $82,140 |
| Maine | $81,450 |
| North Dakota | $81,280 |
| Vermont | $80,850 |
| Illinois | $80,590 |
| Utah | $79,750 |
| Arizona | $79,740 |
| Wisconsin | $79,150 |
| Tennessee | $78,720 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,190 |
| Michigan | $78,160 |
| Kentucky | $77,230 |
| Georgia | $75,280 |
| Missouri | $74,560 |
| New Hampshire | $72,630 |
| Montana | $71,360 |
| Wyoming | $66,340 |
| South Dakota | $65,710 |
| Iowa | $65,640 |
| Alabama | $65,570 |
| Indiana | $63,540 |
| Kansas | $62,830 |
| West Virginia | $61,780 |
| Oklahoma | $59,990 |
| Arkansas | $49,000 |
| Mississippi | $47,850 |
Where Emergency Management Directors Earn the Most
Compensation for emergency management directors differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $123,306 | 12.0% | 0.92 |
| Middle Atlantic | $98,984 | 15.1% | 1.06 |
| New England | $97,981 | 4.5% | 1.10 |
| Rocky Mountains | $88,025 | 4.4% | 1.22 |
| Southwest | $86,238 | 13.2% | 1.18 |
| Southeast | $79,193 | 30.1% | 1.30 |
| Plains States | $76,577 | 7.9% | 1.40 |
| Great Lakes | $76,564 | 12.9% | 1.00 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $156,950 | 150 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $153,910 | 300 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $139,630 | 130 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $138,970 | 50 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $128,860 | 310 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $127,200 | 70 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $125,530 | 140 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | ID | $122,040 | 30 |
Which Industries Hire Emergency Management Directors
The bulk of emergency management directors work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,200 | $96,310 |
| Educational Services | 560 | $94,200 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 330 | $122,610 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 280 | $132,070 |
| Utilities | 260 | $156,290 |
| Manufacturing | 200 | $119,280 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 180 | $103,380 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 140 | $68,420 |
Emergency Management Directors work in the following industries:
Software Emergency Management Directors Use
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of emergency management directors tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Getting Started in This Career
Most emergency management directors positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Security Managers (Primary-Short)
- Medical and Health Services Managers (Primary-Short)
- Compliance Managers (Primary-Long)
- Loss Prevention Managers (Supplemental)
- Management Analysts (Primary-Long)
- Business Continuity Planners (Primary-Short)
- Security Management Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Information Security Engineers (Primary-Long)
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 11-9161.00 (Emergency Management Directors).
BusinessDegreeCentral.com provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© BusinessDegreeCentral.com – All Rights Reserved.