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The differences between communications consultants 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 a communications consultant, becoming a marketing communications specialist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a communications consultant has an average salary of $91,455, which is higher than the $53,993 average annual salary of a marketing communications specialist.
The top three skills for a communications consultant include powerpoint, web content and project management. The most important skills for a marketing communications specialist are digital marketing, project management, and graphic design.
| Communications Consultant | Marketing Communications Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $91,455 | $53,993 |
| Hourly rate | $43.97 | $25.96 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 29,942 | 95,444 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 42 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
Communications consultants are responsible for preparing media releases, whether through print, video, or email. They perform varied tasks that may include working on complete projects such as media analysis and branding, creating strategies to reinforced communication among clients and employees, and providing guidance and recommendations to a company's public relations team. Communications consultants may also conduct training on best practices for other employees. Some employers prefer someone with a bachelor's degree in communications, public relations or journalism, previous work experience in a related field, and excellent written and verbal communication skills.
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.
Communications consultants and marketing communications specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Communications Consultant | Marketing Communications Specialist | |
| Average salary | $91,455 | $53,993 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $130,000 | Between $36,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Dell | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Technology |
There are a few differences between a communications consultant and a marketing communications specialist in terms of educational background:
| Communications Consultant | Marketing Communications Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between communications consultants' and marketing communications specialists' demographics:
| Communications Consultant | Marketing Communications Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.5% Female, 56.5% | Male, 28.0% Female, 72.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.3% 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% |