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The differences between marketing specialists and public relations specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a marketing specialist, becoming a public relations specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a marketing specialist has an average salary of $54,942, which is higher than the $48,124 average annual salary of a public relations specialist.
The top three skills for a marketing specialist include digital marketing, marketing campaigns and project management. The most important skills for a public relations specialist are press releases, web content, and project management.
| Marketing Specialist | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $54,942 | $48,124 |
| Hourly rate | $26.41 | $23.14 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 87,145 | 29,698 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 37 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A marketing specialist's primary responsibility revolves around conducting thorough market research and analysis to acquire extensive knowledge and understanding of a brand and how it will work in the consumer market. They must determine and come up with strategies and utilize this to develop various programs or campaigns that would be vital in bringing more awareness to the brand, thus boosting sales and improving client base. Furthermore, a marketing specialist must also use their expertise to figure out new opportunities and trends that will work for the company.
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.
Marketing specialists and public relations specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Marketing Specialist | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Average salary | $54,942 | $48,124 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $82,000 | Between $33,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a marketing specialist and a public relations specialist in terms of educational background:
| Marketing Specialist | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Business | Communication |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between marketing specialists' and public relations specialists' demographics:
| Marketing Specialist | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Average age | 37 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.5% Female, 64.5% | Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 11.2% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 | 10% | 12% |