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The differences between major gifts officers and public relations managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a major gifts officer and a public relations manager. Additionally, a public relations manager has an average salary of $91,426, which is higher than the $84,209 average annual salary of a major gifts officer.
The top three skills for a major gifts officer include moves management, solicitation strategies and donor prospects. The most important skills for a public relations manager are press releases, web content, and pr campaigns.
| Major Gifts Officer | Public Relations Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $84,209 | $91,426 |
| Hourly rate | $40.49 | $43.95 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 63,570 | 35,273 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A major gifts officer is responsible for coordinating with organizations and sponsors for donation purposes to support an institution's cause and activities for social services. Major gifts officers identify donors by conducting in-depth research, usually those personalities who have a history of donating to organizations. They provide presentations and an objective outline to the potential sponsors, respond to their inquiries and concerns, and manage their presence during the event proper. A major gifts officer must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing reports and planning events efficiently.
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.
Major gifts officers and public relations managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Major Gifts Officer | Public Relations Manager | |
| Average salary | $84,209 | $91,426 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $132,000 | Between $64,000 And $128,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Earthjustice | |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Technology |
There are a few differences between a major gifts officer and a public relations manager in terms of educational background:
| Major Gifts Officer | Public Relations Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between major gifts officers' and public relations managers' demographics:
| Major Gifts Officer | Public Relations Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8% | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 16% | 16% |