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The differences between communications associates and public relations specialists 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 public relations specialist. Additionally, a public relations specialist has an average salary of $48,124, 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 public relations specialist are press releases, web content, and project management.
| Communications Associate | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $44,477 | $48,124 |
| Hourly rate | $21.38 | $23.14 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 21,721 | 29,698 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| 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 public relations specialist is an individual who creates and maintains a favorable public image of an organization by crafting media releases and developing social media programs. Public relations specialists must help their clients communicate effectively with the public as well as evaluate the public opinion of their clients through social media. They need to draft their press releases and contact people in the media who might want to broadcast their materials. Public relations specialists are also required to draft speeches and arrange interviews for the top executives of their organization.
Communications associates and public relations specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Communications Associate | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Average salary | $44,477 | $48,124 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $66,000 | Between $33,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Haven, CT | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a communications associate and a public relations specialist in terms of educational background:
| Communications Associate | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between communications associates' and public relations specialists' demographics:
| Communications Associate | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.5% Female, 67.5% | Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7% |
| 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, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |