Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between communications associates and media relations assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a communications associate and a media relations assistant. Additionally, a media relations assistant has an average salary of $45,450, which is higher than the $44,477 average annual salary of a communications associate.
The top three skills for a communications associate include customer service, patients and powerpoint. The most important skills for a media relations assistant are press releases, athletics website, and press conferences.
| Communications Associate | Media Relations Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $44,477 | $45,450 |
| Hourly rate | $21.38 | $21.85 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 21,721 | 23,773 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A communications associate is responsible for assisting with writing and communication projects and tasks within an organization. They are responsible for planning and implementing communication strategies, overseeing the company's media promotion, and editing and proofreading communication materials and texts. As a communications associate, you will be most likely to manage an organization's online presence by developing, updating, or revising its website and creating copy for social media. You also must cultivate and consolidate good media relations, and oversee the company's promotion campaigns and advertising.
A media relations assistant is an entry-level media and public relation professional. They offer administrative support to a public relations department within an organization. They perform a number of tasks such as researching relevant trends and data that help with the company's PR campaign, helping create marketing materials, maintaining relationships with existing clients, and working to find new clients. They also have to keep accurate correspondence records and monitor social media accounts.
Communications associates and media relations assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Communications Associate | Media Relations Assistant | |
| Average salary | $44,477 | $45,450 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $66,000 | Between $32,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Haven, CT | - |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | - |
| Best paying company | Meta | - |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between a communications associate and a media relations assistant in terms of educational background:
| Communications Associate | Media Relations Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between communications associates' and media relations assistants' demographics:
| Communications Associate | Media Relations Assistant | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.5% Female, 67.5% | Male, 41.8% Female, 58.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 5.3% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |