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Career overview · SOC 11-9161

Emergency Management Directors

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.

Also called: 911 Communications Manager · Emergency Management Coordinator · Emergency Management Director · Emergency Management System Director (EMS Director) · Emergency Manager · Emergency Planner

Median pay (national)
$86,130
$51,260–$160,420 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
12,570
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+3%
~1,000 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree

What the numbers say

Refit analysis ·Pay for emergency management directors shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $160,420 versus $51,260 at the bottom 10% — 3.1x. The median of $86,130 leaves roughly 86% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +3% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 1,000 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 49 states with released data, District of Columbia pays the most for this role (median $185,810, +116% vs the national median), while Mississippi sits lowest at $47,850 — a 288% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint as in-demand technologies for this role.

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Top skills employers ask for

Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.

  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Writing
  • Critical Thinking
  • Monitoring
  • Learning Strategies
  • Active Learning
  • Mathematics
  • Science

What they actually do

Core O*NET tasks for this role.

  • 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.
  • Design and administer emergency or disaster preparedness training courses that teach people how to effectively respond to major emergencies and disasters.
  • Keep informed of activities or changes that could affect the likelihood of an emergency, response efforts, or plan implementation.

Tools & technology

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • ESRI ArcGIS software
  • 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
  • McAfee
  • National Center for Crisis and Continuity Coordination NC4 E Team

Knowledge areas

  • Public Safety and Security
  • Administration and Management
  • Law and Government
  • Communications and Media
  • English Language
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Telecommunications
  • Education and Training