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The differences between assistant media planners and marketing communications specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an assistant media planner, becoming a marketing communications specialist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a marketing communications specialist has an average salary of $53,993, which is higher than the $38,916 average annual salary of an assistant media planner.
The top three skills for an assistant media planner include powerpoint, media planning and insertion orders. The most important skills for a marketing communications specialist are digital marketing, project management, and graphic design.
| Assistant Media Planner | Marketing Communications Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $38,916 | $53,993 |
| Hourly rate | $18.71 | $25.96 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 26,944 | 95,444 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 94% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 42 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
An assistant media planner is responsible for supporting the advertising and public relations team in developing media publications, social platform content, and press releases for campaign management. Assistant media planners maximize resources to boost the clients' brand image to different media platforms and ensure that the advertising efforts reach the target audience. They also analyze the feasibility of campaigns and develop marketing strategies within the clients' budget limitations and timetables. An assistant media planner must be very creative and communicative to recommend media plans and enhance brand recognition.
A marketing communications specialist is an individual who is responsible for creating all the marketing materials that are distributed to customers to increase brand awareness for the company's products or services. To create these materials, marketing communications specialists must collaborate with graphic design teams. They are required to track their marketing performance so that they can identify ways to improve their marketing strategies. Marketing communications specialists must also set up interviews and press conferences as part of their marketing campaign.
Assistant media planners and marketing communications specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant Media Planner | Marketing Communications Specialist | |
| Average salary | $38,916 | $53,993 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $48,000 | Between $36,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Delaware |
| Best paying company | - | Apple |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between an assistant media planner and a marketing communications specialist in terms of educational background:
| Assistant Media Planner | Marketing Communications Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 94% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Marketing | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between assistant media planners' and marketing communications specialists' demographics:
| Assistant Media Planner | Marketing Communications Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% | Male, 28.0% Female, 72.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 5.3% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 5.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 9.6% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 10% |