Emergency Management Director salary in the U.S.
Emergency Management Directors in the U.S. earn a median of $93,330 a year ($44.87 an hour), based on BLS data for 13,500 workers.
Pay ranges from $54,210 for the lowest-paid 10% to $166,430 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $102,420, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for emergency management directors in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $54,210 | $26.06 |
| 25th percentile | $67,910 | $32.65 |
| Median | $93,330 | $44.87 |
| 75th percentile | $126,490 | $60.81 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $166,430 | $80.02 |
| Average (mean) | $102,420 | $49.24 |
Half of emergency management directors earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $7,777.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,888.75 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,589.62 |
| Weekly | $1,794.81 |
| Hourly | $44.87 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Emergency Management Director salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $184,350 | 150 |
| New Mexico | $145,550 | 170 |
| Washington | $130,780 | 180 |
| California | $129,910 | 1,170 |
| Colorado | $129,660 | n/a |
| Massachusetts | $123,250 | 220 |
| New Jersey | $120,990 | 490 |
| Connecticut | $113,380 | 180 |
| Oregon | $110,720 | 120 |
| Maryland | $107,200 | 150 |
| Minnesota | $106,880 | 190 |
| Nevada | $105,570 | 60 |
| Alaska | $101,850 | 120 |
| Virginia | $99,860 | 450 |
| Idaho | $99,720 | 80 |
| Florida | $99,020 | 720 |
| Louisiana | $96,550 | 180 |
| Ohio | $94,690 | 250 |
| North Carolina | $93,840 | 420 |
| South Carolina | $93,680 | 330 |
| Texas | $93,570 | 1,210 |
| New York | $92,570 | 790 |
| Nebraska | $89,740 | 120 |
| Michigan | $87,880 | 220 |
| Rhode Island | $87,690 | 30 |
| Utah | $84,860 | 170 |
| Maine | $84,050 | 80 |
| Illinois | $83,820 | 450 |
| Georgia | $83,200 | 430 |
| Arizona | $81,970 | 160 |
| Tennessee | $81,800 | 370 |
| Pennsylvania | $81,550 | 520 |
| New Hampshire | $77,420 | 50 |
| Wisconsin | $77,260 | 240 |
| North Dakota | $76,640 | 80 |
| Missouri | $75,660 | 310 |
| Kentucky | $74,730 | 150 |
| Hawaii | $74,290 | 90 |
| Iowa | $73,700 | 130 |
| Kansas | $68,000 | 140 |
| South Dakota | $67,180 | 120 |
| Wyoming | $64,370 | 50 |
| Montana | $62,770 | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $60,990 | 310 |
| West Virginia | $60,460 | 120 |
| Arkansas | $50,180 | 160 |
| Mississippi | $48,650 | 230 |
Best-paying metro areas for emergency management directors
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $173,540 | 50 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $163,220 | 310 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $161,180 | 150 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $155,320 | 90 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $136,930 | n/a |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $136,510 | 30 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $136,270 | 90 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $135,910 | 50 |
| Worcester, MA | $133,690 | 30 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $130,020 | 300 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $130,020 | 200 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $126,570 | 160 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $119,870 | 50 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $118,370 | 40 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $117,070 | 60 |
Metro areas with the most emergency management directors
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 630 | $100,980 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 310 | $163,220 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 300 | $96,650 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 300 | $130,020 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 280 | $109,140 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 270 | $107,430 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 240 | $101,130 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 200 | $130,020 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 190 | $103,830 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 170 | $103,120 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 160 | $126,570 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 150 | $161,180 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 120 | $82,640 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 120 | $100,920 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 120 | $93,260 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Managers, All Other | $141,900 | $68.22 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $123,860 | $59.55 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 | $55.28 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $105,870 | — |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $69,990 | $33.65 |
| Food Service Manager | $69,390 | $33.36 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $171,270 | $82.34 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $80,390 | $38.65 |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $104,590 | $50.29 |
| Natural Sciences Manager | $167,220 | $80.39 |
| Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare | $59,300 | $28.51 |
| Education Administrators, All Other | $95,200 | $45.77 |
| Lodging Manager | $69,250 | $33.29 |
| Entertainment and Recreation Managers, Except Gambling | $79,520 | $38.23 |
More: Management Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 11-9161. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a emergency management director make in the U.S.?
The median salary for emergency management directors in the U.S. is $93,330 a year, or $44.87 an hour. Pay ranges from $54,210 for the lowest-paid 10% to $166,430 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid emergency management directors make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of emergency management directors in the U.S. earn at least $166,430 a year. The top 25% earn $126,490 or more.
What is the starting pay for emergency management directors in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $54,210 a year, and a quarter of emergency management directors earn $67,910 or less.
How many emergency management directors work in the U.S.?
About 13,500 emergency management directors are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.