Earning an emergency management master's degree online prepares you to strategically apply problem-solving skills to help people in their time of need. The knowledge you gain throughout your studies equips you to oversee disaster preparation, response, and recovery efforts. Furthermore, your ability to communicate effectively allows you to coordinate with government officials, public safety personnel, nonprofit organizations, and the media about how best to protect and save lives.
An online master's degree in emergency management permits the kind of flexibility an on-campus program may not since you can attend class whenever best fits your schedule. In addition, you can continue to work while enrolled in school, which provides ample opportunity to apply lessons learned in classes to practical situations. Police and fire departments, humanitarian aid organizations, government agencies, and hospitals require experts in this field; in other words, after graduation, you can pursue many different careers.
These tables offer insight about the annual salary for emergency management directors. The first table reports the top paying six states for this profession by annual mean wage, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It also provides data about the number of people employed in this career in each of these states.
The second table references PayScale data to report how much emergency management directors earn based on experience level. The salary information in this table details the average annual income for entry-level through late-career professionals. As you can see, this career offers a lucrative annual income for those who enter it.
State | Employment | Annual Mean Wage |
---|---|---|
California | 940 | $125,750 |
District of Columbia | 200 | $120,330 |
New York | 630 | $100,640 |
Maryland | 90 | $99,760 |
Washington | 160 | $97,260 |
United States | 9,560 | $81,140 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Source: PayScale
An online master's degree in emergency management prepares you to deal with life-or-death situations. For this reason, you must demonstrate calm under pressure, possess leadership capabilities to guide teams, and communicate important messages with accuracy. Emergency management directors work in a variety of industries, but some of the most common settings include hospitals, humanitarian nonprofits, and government agencies. Many also work in corporations, helping them devise tactics to handle unexpected catastrophes.
Annual Median Salary: $72,760
Projected Growth Rate: 8%
These experts develop procedures to manage disasters and emergencies. In addition to preparing for and responding to these events, they coordinate action plans with elected officials, safety personnel, media contacts, and the government. This may include sharing equipment and requesting funding for emergency and disaster management. An advanced degree strengthens their ability to clearly communicate with stakeholders and partners.
Annual Median Salary: $82,450
Projected Growth Rate: 14%
This career requires the analytical and decision-making capabilities that students develop in an online master's in emergency management program. Responsibilities include devising strategies to improve organizations' efficiency, including mitigating the risks that catastrophes cause when it comes to revenues, operations, and staff morale.
Annual Median Salary: $100,410
Projected Growth Rate: 9%
These professionals direct and oversee organizational operations, which can include developing policies, overseeing daily logistics, and directing the use of material and human resources. Operations managers must balance analytical and pragmatic decision-making to safeguard their organization and its people.
Classes in your master's in emergency management depend on the program and school you select, but most offer a similar curriculum. The following descriptions provide a sense of what you can expect to study in your classes. Learn more about these courses to prepare for a meaningful degree following graduation.
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I understand a degree DOES NOT GUARANTEE A JOB OR CAREER UPON COMPLETION OF A PROGRAM