Emergency Management Directors
SOC code 11-9161 · O*NET-SOC 11-9161.00 · Considerable preparation needed
Emergency Management Directors pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$93,330
a year
Hourly
$44.87
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$102,420
$49.24 per hour
Middle 50%
$67,910 – $126,490
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$54,210 – $166,430
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
13,500
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $54,210
- $26.06/hr
- 25th percentile
- $67,910
- $32.65/hr
- Median percentile
- $93,330
- $44.87/hr
- 75th percentile
- $126,490
- $60.81/hr
- 90th percentile
- $166,430
- $80.02/hr
Job outlook · federal projection 2024–34
+3%
Growing about as fast as average
13,200
jobs in 2024
13,600
projected for 2034
About 400 more jobs
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections, 2024–34. Projections describe the broader occupation group and are estimates, not guarantees.
What does an emergency management director do?
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.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- 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.
How to become an emergency management director
Most people in this role hold bachelor's degree — 59% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Bachelor's Degree59%
- Master's Degree14%
- Some College Courses9%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate9%
Common questions
How much does an emergency management director earn?
The national median is $93,330 a year. The full range runs from $54,210 at the 10th percentile to $166,430 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become an emergency management director without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Is emergency management director in demand?
Federal projections expect employment to grow by about 3% between 2024 and 2034 — growing about as fast as average. Openings also come from people retiring or changing jobs, which the growth figure does not count.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Speaking4.1/5
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Writing4.0/5
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Monitoring4.0/5
Knowledge areas
- Public Safety and Security4.7/5
- Administration and Management4.2/5
- Law and Government4.2/5
- Communications and Media4.0/5
- English Language4.0/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.9/5
- Telecommunications3.9/5
- Education and Training3.9/5
Transferable strengths: Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination.