Emergency management is a multi-faceted approach to disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery that requires the coordinated efforts of highly skilled professionals from all sectors.
Naturally, most jobs in emergency management are in government and include massive federal employers like FEMA, the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Guard. But state and local emergency management agencies, fire departments and law enforcement agencies from the county sheriff’s office to municipal police departments, also take the reins on more localized disasters and provide critical back-up during large-scale emergencies.
The field of emergency management also extends to private corporations that are involved in areas like engineering, disaster response services, environmental remediation, and consulting, while nonprofit organizations like the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross focus their efforts on providing humanitarian aid and relief.
In short, it’s a massive sector that calls for all hands-on deck in times of disaster, whether natural or manmade. Because of the sheer size of the emergency management field, salaries range from entry-level administrative professionals to the senior-level directors and executives overseeing massive efforts.
Emergency Management Specialist Salaries by Sector
FEMA Salary: Emergency Management Specialists and Analyst Salaries
Salaries for Other Professionals in Emergency Management
Emergency Management Director Salaries Around the Nation
Salaries By State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Emergency Management Specialist Salaries by Sector
Emergency management directors are responsible for high-level planning and deployment of the boots on the ground response to disasters of any kind. They oversee the creation and implementation of training and emergency plans and procedures for any number of natural and manmade disasters. As of May 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that earned an average salary of $84,310.
These top-level pros have a solid resume that includes a bachelor’s or master’s degree in emergency management or a similar field, along with plenty of experience. Those newest to a senior-level position in emergency management can expect to earn salaries that fall in the 10th – 25th percentile, which was $42,230 – $55,660 as of May 2020. The profession’s most experienced can expect to earn salaries that reflect the 75th – 90th percentile, which was $104,880 – $142,870 during this time.
Federal Emergency Management Directors Salaries
The highest paid emergency management directors were in the federal government, where they earned an annual average salary of $162,930 as of May 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Operating under the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA remains the biggest name in federal emergency management, although it’s certainly not the only federal agency that’s involved in emergency response and management. Other federal agencies that take on these duties include:
- Army Corps of Engineers
- National Guard (reserve component of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force)
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Department of Defense
- Department of Transportation
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Environmental Protection Agency
According to the Office of Personnel Management, professionals in federal emergency management are generally paid at the GS-09 level and above. As of 2021, that meant a minimum starting base salary of $46,083, with incremental increases taking it up to $59,907. Federal pay is also dependent upon a variety of other factors, including locality pay to account for cost-of-living differences.
Private Emergency Management Director Salaries
Other high-earning emergency management directors are employed in the private sector in architectural, engineering, and consulting services. As of May 2020, they earned an average salary of $128,500. Other emergency management directors earning some of the highest average salaries during this time included:
- Scientific Research and Development Services: $127,800
- Natural Gas Distribution: $127,090
- Oil and Gas Extraction: $123,460
State and Local Emergency Management Director Salaries
Emergency management directors within state emergency management agencies earned an average salary of $72,740, while those in local agencies earned an average salary of $76,150 according to 2020 BLS data.
Nonprofit Emergency Management Director Salaries
In the nonprofit sector, emergency management directors focused on community food and housing and emergency and relief services earned an average salary of $69,090.
The American Red Cross is one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the U.S. that provide disaster relief and humanitarian aid. It employs about 19,000 individuals and includes more than 300,000 volunteers nationwide.
Some of the jobs available to individuals specializing in emergency management in the American Red Cross include:
- Disaster Program Manager
- Disaster Program Specialist
- Executive Coordinator
- Disaster Workforce Engagement Manager
- Analyst, Recovery Data Planning
- Regional Communications Director
- Regional Program Specialist
- Finance Director, Humanitarian Programs
- Business Operations Specialist
Other big nonprofits that employ emergency management professionals include:
- The Salvation Army
- Samaritan’s Purse
- AmeriCares
- National Organization for Victim Assistance
- UNICEF
FEMA Salary: Emergency Management Specialists and Analyst Salaries with the Federal Emergency Management Agency
FEMA employs more than 20,000 people across the nation. This massive federal agency is headquartered in Washington D.C. but also has ten regional offices located in:
- Boston, MA
- New York City, NY
- Philadelphia, PA
- Atlanta, GA
- Chicago, IL
- Denton, TX
- Kansas City, MO
- Denver, CO
- San Francisco, CA
- Bothell, WA
FEMA employees can be civilian or federal employees, and they may be hired as permanent, full-time employees, reservists (on-call), or Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees (CORE), who are hired to work for a specific, limited period of time (usually between 2 to 4 years).
There are several paths to employment with FEMA, depending on your background and qualifications:
- Students and Recent Grads: FEMA offers a variety of internships and career development programs that may lead to a permanent position.
- Veterans and military spouses: Eligible veterans and military spouses may qualify for a position within FEMA through a non-competitive hiring process.
- FEMA Corps, Peace Corps, and AmeriCorps volunteers: These team-based service programs provide opportunities for individuals to work in a team-based service program while gaining valuable professional experience.
FEMA job postings in May 2021 provide some insight into the type of positions within the agency and the earning potential for emergency management specialists and analysts:
- Emergency Management Specialist – (Hazard Mitigation Floodplain Management Specialist): $45,760 – $87,360
- Emergency Management Specialist (Hazard Mitigation 406 Specialist – Cost Analysis): $45,760 – $87,360
- Emergency Management Specialist (Preparedness): $100,161 – $130,211
- Supervisory Program Analyst: $103,690 – $134,798
- Supervisory Emergency Management Specialist (Preparedness): $144,128 – $172,500
- Community Planning Expert Specialist – Intermittent: $79,040 – $104,000
- Community Development Expert Specialist – Intermittent: $79,040 – $104,000
- Community Design Expert Specialist – Intermittent: $79,040 – $104,000
- Local Government Administration Expert Specialist – Intermittent: $79,040 – $104,000
- Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist: $103,690 – $134,798
Salaries for Other Professionals in Emergency Management
The emergency management sector is a goliath, comprising not just those educated and trained in emergency management, but also professionals in remediation, medical care, evacuation and recovery efforts, the repair of critical infrastructure, the delivery of food, medicine, and supplies, and much, much more.
The BLS identifies some of the professions that are involved in emergency management, along with their entry-level education requirements and earning potential (25th percentile/median/90th percentile), as of May 2020:
- General and operations managers (bachelor’s): $67,450/$103,650/$208,000+
- Social and community service managers (bachelor’s): $53,880/$69,600/$115,800
- Fundraisers (bachelor’s): $45,170/$59,610/$103,320
- Project management specialists and business operations specialists, all other (bachelor’s): $56,790/$77,420/$135,220
- Child, family, and school social workers (bachelor’s): $38,350/$48,430/$80,290
- Mental health counselors (master’s): $36,950/$47,660/$78,700
- Community health workers (high school diploma): $33,960/$42,000/$70,790
- Social and human service assistants (high school diploma): $29,220/$35,960/$56,080
- Light truck or delivery service drivers (high school diploma): $27,580/$37,050/$70,080
Emergency Management Director Salaries Around the Nation
No surprise here – the biggest players in emergency management are some of the nation’s biggest states, in terms of population. California, of course, tops the list for employment of emergency management directors, according to the BLS, followed by Texas, Illinois, New York, and Florida.
But with the exception of California, the states with the highest employment levels for emergency management directors aren’t necessarily the ones where you will find the highest salaries. According to the BLS, as of May 2020, the following states posted the highest average salaries for emergency management directors:
- Washington D.C.: $126,400 (location of FEMA headquarters)
- California: $115,960
- Washington: $109,510
- New Jersey: $108,930
- Maryland: $105,480
The following BLS table provides a closer look at what emergency management directors are earning in each state as of May 2020:
May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job market trends for emergency management directors, general operations manager, social and community service managers, fundraisers, project management specialists, business operations specialists, all other, child, family, and school social workers, substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, community health workers, social and human service assistants, and light truck drivers. Figures represent national data, not school specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed May 2021