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The differences between community relations assistants 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 community relations assistant and a public relations specialist. Additionally, a public relations specialist has an average salary of $48,124, which is higher than the $36,453 average annual salary of a community relations assistant.
The top three skills for a community relations assistant include community outreach, press releases and community relations programs. The most important skills for a public relations specialist are press releases, web content, and project management.
| Community Relations Assistant | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $36,453 | $48,124 |
| Hourly rate | $17.53 | $23.14 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 27,961 | 29,698 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Community Relations Assistants are involved in outreach programs and in promoting the business or organization. These assistants establish and distribute promotional materials for customers. They support public relations departments through copying, answering phone calls, and filing. Their duties include ensuring the effectiveness of outreach missions. Among the skills and knowledge needed for this job include community relations programs, special events, and press releases.
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.
Community relations assistants and public relations specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Community Relations Assistant | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Average salary | $36,453 | $48,124 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $53,000 | Between $33,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a community relations assistant and a public relations specialist in terms of educational background:
| Community Relations Assistant | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Business | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between community relations assistants' and public relations specialists' demographics:
| Community Relations Assistant | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.0% Female, 72.0% | Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7% |
| 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, 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% |