How to become an emergency management director

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.

Steps to get there

Most employers expect most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not..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.

What emergency management directors do

• 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.

Skills that matter most

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

Is emergency management director a good career?

On the numbers, this job pays above the typical job. Median pay is 83% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.

Where it pays most

• District of Columbia $184,350
• New Mexico $145,550
• Washington $130,780
• California $129,910
• Massachusetts $123,250

Emergency Management Directors salary by state and city

Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.