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The differences between internal communications specialists 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 an internal communications specialist and a public relations specialist. Additionally, an internal communications specialist has an average salary of $61,999, which is higher than the $48,124 average annual salary of a public relations specialist.
The top three skills for an internal communications specialist include employee engagement, powerpoint and HR. The most important skills for a public relations specialist are press releases, web content, and project management.
| Internal Communications Specialist | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $61,999 | $48,124 |
| Hourly rate | $29.81 | $23.14 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 27,601 | 29,698 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An internal communications specialist's role is to devise strategies in maintaining a clear and active line of communication and engagement within a workplace. They must manage the flow of communications across different departments, all while prioritizing timeliness and accuracy. Additionally, they must participate in writing and editing communication materials, reports, correspondence, memos, and more. There are also instances when they have to produce presentations, disseminate information, and utilize various mediums such as photos and videos. Furthermore, as an internal communications specialist, it is essential to develop action plans while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
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.
Internal communications specialists and public relations specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Internal Communications Specialist | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Average salary | $61,999 | $48,124 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $92,000 | Between $33,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Parsons | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between an internal communications specialist and a public relations specialist in terms of educational background:
| Internal Communications Specialist | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between internal communications specialists' and public relations specialists' demographics:
| Internal Communications Specialist | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.5% Female, 63.5% | 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% |