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The differences between media assistants and social media 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 media assistant and a social media specialist. Additionally, a social media specialist has an average salary of $51,584, which is higher than the $37,287 average annual salary of a media assistant.
The top three skills for a media assistant include video production, audio equipment and visual equipment. The most important skills for a social media specialist are social media marketing, instagram, and digital marketing.
| Media Assistant | Social Media Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $37,287 | $51,584 |
| Hourly rate | $17.93 | $24.80 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 13,894 | 47,228 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Media assistants are professionals who are responsible for providing administrative support to the media operations of an organization. These assistants are required to work closely with the media team to perform tasks such as analyzing media, using media software to keep track of performance and develop strong relationships with media outlets. By coordinating with technical consultants, media assistants must assist in planning various video productions as well as updating the content and graphics of the company's website. They must also develop strategies so that they can increase audience reach across media channels.
A social media specialist is an individual who is responsible for creating and administering content on all social media platforms to build an audience and ensure customer engagement. By using platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, social media specialists must create content that resonates with the interests of the intended audience. They are required to understand social media metrics so that they can use the information to ensure success in their social media strategy. Social media specialists must also work with industry professionals and influencers via social media to create a strong network.
Media assistants and social media specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Media Assistant | Social Media Specialist | |
| Average salary | $37,287 | $51,584 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $54,000 | Between $38,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a media assistant and a social media specialist in terms of educational background:
| Media Assistant | Social Media Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between media assistants' and social media specialists' demographics:
| Media Assistant | Social Media Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.7% Female, 61.3% | Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4% |
| 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, 10.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 5.3% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |