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Communications associate vs publicist

The differences between communications associates and publicists 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 publicist. Additionally, a publicist has an average salary of $50,679, 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 publicist are press releases, press materials, and public relations campaigns.

Communications associate vs publicist overview

Communications AssociatePublicist
Yearly salary$44,477$50,679
Hourly rate$21.38$24.36
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs21,7217,343
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 77%Bachelor's Degree, 83%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

What does a communications associate do?

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.

What does a publicist do?

Public Relations Supervisors are responsible for implementing the media and public relations strategy of an organization. Their duties include developing public relations campaigns, organize public relations events, assist in emergency response planning, updating documentation, monitoring media, improve management of press office, and manage media databases. They are responsible for assisting with journalistic content writing, refine internal processes, and track public relations activity performance. They help prepare reports as well as undertake competitor and market research.

Communications associate vs publicist salary

Communications associates and publicists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Communications AssociatePublicist
Average salary$44,477$50,679
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $66,000Between $30,000 And $83,000
Highest paying CityNew Haven, CTSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateConnecticutWashington
Best paying companyMetaJ. The Jewish News of Northern California
Best paying industryFinanceMedia

Differences between communications associate and publicist education

There are a few differences between a communications associate and a publicist in terms of educational background:

Communications AssociatePublicist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 77%Bachelor's Degree, 83%
Most common majorCommunicationCommunication
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Communications associate vs publicist demographics

Here are the differences between communications associates' and publicists' demographics:

Communications AssociatePublicist
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 32.5% Female, 67.5%Male, 27.4% Female, 72.6%
Race ratioBlack 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, 10.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage12%12%

Differences between communications associate and publicist duties and responsibilities

Communications associate example responsibilities.

  • Create and manage several internal communications SharePoint sites and survey tools.
  • Save $60K annually by administering digital asset management system and managing migration of externally-host system to internal SharePoint solution.
  • Co-developed regional, national and international trade show strategy including logistics, management, qualifying leads, communications and ROI tracking.
  • Establish and moderate a Facebook group for a youth sports league.
  • Maintain school's website, including writing/editing content, and official Facebook page.
  • Write and produce weekly HTML newsletters that are distribute to corporate and enterprise-wide audiences.
  • Show more

Publicist example responsibilities.

  • Manage publicity plans for fiction and non-fiction trade paperback titles.
  • Manage and write copy for client social media platforms and ECPR's social media deliverable, which involve SEO streamlining.
  • Book non-fiction author media tours.
  • Photograph events for the instagram account.
  • Maintain appropriate media lists, clips and coverage reports.
  • Post on Facebook and other websites to promote events & products
  • Show more

Communications associate vs publicist skills

Common communications associate skills
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Patients, 7%
  • PowerPoint, 6%
  • Project Management, 4%
  • Press Releases, 4%
  • Facebook, 4%
Common publicist skills
  • Press Releases, 30%
  • Press Materials, 7%
  • Public Relations Campaigns, 5%
  • Instagram, 5%
  • Twitter, 5%
  • Writing Press Releases, 4%

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