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Account planner vs media planner

The differences between account planners and media planners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an account planner, becoming a media planner takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an account planner has an average salary of $71,823, which is higher than the $58,044 average annual salary of a media planner.

The top three skills for an account planner include digital marketing, media sales and nielsen. The most important skills for a media planner are media planning, powerpoint, and campaign performance.

Account planner vs media planner overview

Account PlannerMedia Planner
Yearly salary$71,823$58,044
Hourly rate$34.53$27.91
Growth rate19%8%
Number of jobs82,79824,126
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 82%Bachelor's Degree, 89%
Average age3742
Years of experience64

What does an account planner do?

An account planner is someone who works primarily with clients on how to improve their accounts, sales strategy, and marketing. The account planner creates, develops, and maintains clients' accounts to increase sales and make them profitable. Included in an account planner's task is to monitor competition, determine problems in the actual marketing campaign, provide insight into the market's status, and offer suggestions on how to improve. The account planner also communicates directly with the client and actively works with them to achieve success.

What does a media planner do?

A media planner is responsible for managing market campaigns and promotions for clients' advertising needs through various social media platforms and other mediums of communications. Media planners handle the brand's media presence, strategizing its maximum appeal to the target audience. They coordinate closely with the clients for the progress updates, as well as informing them of any adjustments, especially on meeting the public's interests and concerns. A media planner develops innovative techniques, analyzes market data, and manage campaign results, ensuring to meet the clients' objectives and goals.

Account planner vs media planner salary

Account planners and media planners have different pay scales, as shown below.

Account PlannerMedia Planner
Average salary$71,823$58,044
Salary rangeBetween $48,000 And $107,000Between $48,000 And $69,000
Highest paying CityHarrison, NYWashington, DC
Highest paying stateDelawareWashington
Best paying companyGoogleRPA
Best paying industryProfessionalProfessional

Differences between account planner and media planner education

There are a few differences between an account planner and a media planner in terms of educational background:

Account PlannerMedia Planner
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 82%Bachelor's Degree, 89%
Most common majorBusinessCommunication
Most common collegeUniversity of GeorgiaNorthwestern University

Account planner vs media planner demographics

Here are the differences between account planners' and media planners' demographics:

Account PlannerMedia Planner
Average age3742
Gender ratioMale, 38.6% Female, 61.4%Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 13.2% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage10%12%

Differences between account planner and media planner duties and responsibilities

Account planner example responsibilities.

  • Guide production planning activities ranging from developing and revising production schedules, forecasting trends and customer demand, and managing logistics.
  • Direct inbound or outbound logistics operations, such as transportation or warehouse activities, safety performance, or logistics quality management.
  • Coordinate the quality control for clients' letters and mailings as well as ran data pulls and file selects for clients.

Media planner example responsibilities.

  • Partner with programmatic buying team to manage DSP campaign and ensure tactics maintain maximum efficiency.
  • Lead monthly meetings with each AE to discuss key accounts and strategize for revenue growth.
  • Manage multiple inboxes handling numerous RFP inquiries from top tier clients while training new employees on processes.
  • Manage multiple million dollar budgets, budget analysis and reconciliations.
  • Manage MRI research system generating specific demographic information for media recommendations.
  • Experience with Comscore, Nielsen, Kantar & Mediamind.
  • Show more

Account planner vs media planner skills

Common account planner skills
  • Digital Marketing, 27%
  • Media Sales, 11%
  • Nielsen, 9%
  • Account Executives, 9%
  • PowerPoint, 4%
  • Creative Strategy, 3%
Common media planner skills
  • Media Planning, 11%
  • PowerPoint, 8%
  • Campaign Performance, 5%
  • MRI, 4%
  • Digital Marketing, 4%
  • Nielsen, 4%

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