Emergency management directors salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $54,210 | $26.06 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $93,330 | $44.87 |
| Mean (average) | $102,420 | $49.24 |
| 90th percentile | $166,430 | $80.02 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Emergency management directors pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 47 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $101,850 | $62,140 | $175,270 | 120 | 4.4 |
| Arizona | $81,970 | $60,280 | $145,990 | 160 | 0.56 |
| Arkansas | $50,180 | $35,280 | $82,240 | 160 | 1.37 |
| California | $129,910 | $90,130 | $199,020 | 1,170 | 0.74 |
| Colorado | $129,660 | $88,200 | $166,810 | ||
| Connecticut | $113,380 | $74,880 | $174,880 | 180 | 1.23 |
| District of Columbia | $184,350 | $89,990 | $195,190 | 150 | 2.39 |
| Florida | $99,020 | $55,230 | $164,260 | 720 | 0.83 |
| Georgia | $83,200 | $50,110 | $152,120 | 430 | 1.02 |
| Hawaii | $74,290 | $61,620 | $142,820 | 90 | 1.71 |
| Idaho | $99,720 | $77,310 | $137,000 | 80 | 1.02 |
| Illinois | $83,820 | $44,110 | $164,100 | 450 | 0.84 |
| Iowa | $73,700 | $45,450 | $109,790 | 130 | 0.99 |
| Kansas | $68,000 | $48,970 | $113,500 | 140 | 1.12 |
| Kentucky | $74,730 | $39,710 | $109,210 | 150 | 0.88 |
| Louisiana | $96,550 | $58,900 | $144,000 | 180 | 1.07 |
| Maine | $84,050 | $57,590 | $124,970 | 80 | 1.5 |
| Maryland | $107,200 | $68,600 | $176,480 | 150 | 0.63 |
| Massachusetts | $123,250 | $81,100 | $195,190 | 220 | 0.7 |
| Michigan | $87,880 | $57,650 | $135,810 | 220 | 0.58 |
| Minnesota | $106,880 | $73,880 | $163,960 | 190 | 0.75 |
| Mississippi | $48,650 | $38,250 | $96,680 | 230 | 2.3 |
| Missouri | $75,660 | $37,440 | $148,870 | 310 | 1.2 |
| Montana | $62,770 | $51,290 | $100,640 | 90 | 1.95 |
| Nebraska | $89,740 | $58,650 | $138,610 | 120 | 1.38 |
| Nevada | $105,570 | $69,360 | $206,420 | 60 | 0.48 |
| New Hampshire | $77,420 | $57,470 | $117,560 | 50 | 0.84 |
| New Jersey | $120,990 | $80,770 | $164,110 | 490 | 1.33 |
| New Mexico | $145,550 | $72,480 | $202,090 | 170 | 2.22 |
| New York | $92,570 | $67,120 | $188,910 | 790 | 0.94 |
| North Carolina | $93,840 | $66,800 | $129,980 | 420 | 0.97 |
| North Dakota | $76,640 | $62,120 | $107,440 | 80 | 2.06 |
| Ohio | $94,690 | $54,090 | $193,060 | 250 | 0.52 |
| Oklahoma | $60,990 | $39,580 | $106,130 | 310 | 2.12 |
| Oregon | $110,720 | $84,200 | $162,380 | 120 | 0.7 |
| Pennsylvania | $81,550 | $54,800 | $135,870 | 520 | 1 |
| Rhode Island | $87,690 | $72,160 | $156,310 | 30 | 0.76 |
| South Carolina | $93,680 | $57,910 | $143,460 | 330 | 1.63 |
| South Dakota | $67,180 | $48,640 | $97,850 | 120 | 2.97 |
| Tennessee | $81,800 | $55,780 | $139,420 | 370 | 1.28 |
| Texas | $93,570 | $58,320 | $163,820 | 1,210 | 0.99 |
| Utah | $84,860 | $60,950 | $124,870 | 170 | 1.12 |
| Virginia | $99,860 | $67,190 | $179,140 | 450 | 1.26 |
| Washington | $130,780 | $94,020 | $184,740 | 180 | 0.58 |
| West Virginia | $60,460 | $36,630 | $97,160 | 120 | 1.92 |
| Wisconsin | $77,260 | $50,270 | $114,940 | 240 | 0.96 |
| Wyoming | $64,370 | $49,920 | $108,610 | 50 | 1.97 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for emergency management directors
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for emergency management directors
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- 5 years or more
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Critical Incident Response/Special Police Operations CIP 43.0119
- Protective Services Operations CIP 43.0120
- Homeland Security CIP 43.0301
- Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management CIP 43.0302
- Critical Infrastructure Protection CIP 43.0303
- Terrorism and Counterterrorism Operations CIP 43.0304
- Emergency Medical Services Fellowship Program CIP 61.0603
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- 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.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Alert Technologies OpsCenter
- Digital Engineering Corporation E-MAPS
- Emergency Managers Weather Information Network EMWIN
- Emergency Services Integrators ESi WebEOC
- Federal Emergency Management Information System FEMIS
- Geographic information system GIS software
- Graphics software
- IBM Lotus Notes
- MapInfo Professional
Transferable skills for career changers: Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Instructing.
Common job titles: 911 Communications Manager, Emergency Management Coordinator, Emergency Management Director, Emergency Management System Director (EMS Director), Emergency Manager, Emergency Planner, Emergency Preparedness Manager, Emergency Services Director, Emergency Services Program Coordinator, Public Safety Director.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do emergency management directors make?
The national median annual wage for emergency management directors was $93,330 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $54,210 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $166,430. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do emergency management directors need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with 5 years or more of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is emergency management directors a growing career?
BLS projects employment of emergency management directors to change +3.9% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay emergency management directors the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($184,350), New Mexico ($145,550), Washington ($130,780). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.