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The differences between customer relations specialists and public relations managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a customer relations specialist, becoming a public relations manager takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a public relations manager has an average salary of $91,426, which is higher than the $37,827 average annual salary of a customer relations specialist.
The top three skills for a customer relations specialist include customer relations, data entry and work ethic. The most important skills for a public relations manager are press releases, web content, and pr campaigns.
| Customer Relations Specialist | Public Relations Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $37,827 | $91,426 |
| Hourly rate | $18.19 | $43.95 |
| Growth rate | -4% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 215,862 | 35,273 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
A customer relations specialist is responsible for providing high-quality services for customers by responding to their inquiries and concerns and resolving complaints about the company's goods and services. Customer relations specialists update customer accounts on the database, recording their transactions accurately, and posting their payments timely. They may also sell new products and services to the clients, demonstrating features and usability, processing orders, and confirming delivery details. A customer relations specialist must have excellent communication and organizational skills to ensure customer satisfaction and maintain healthy business relationships with the customers.
A public relations manager is responsible for monitoring the public relations department to boost its brand image and attract potential clients through press releases and media coverage. They work closely with the marketing team, developing marketing campaigns and promotional strategies for creating brand awareness. Public relations managers maintain the company's presence on various social media platforms, responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns regarding the company's goods and services. A public relations manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially in identifying business opportunities to increase revenues and profitability.
Customer relations specialists and public relations managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Customer Relations Specialist | Public Relations Manager | |
| Average salary | $37,827 | $91,426 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $52,000 | Between $64,000 And $128,000 |
| Highest paying City | Columbia, MD | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Deloitte | |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a customer relations specialist and a public relations manager in terms of educational background:
| Customer Relations Specialist | Public Relations Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Communication |
| Most common college | - | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between customer relations specialists' and public relations managers' demographics:
| Customer Relations Specialist | Public Relations Manager | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.8% Female, 68.2% | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 16% |