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The differences between media relations directors and public relations directors 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 relations director and a public relations director. Additionally, a media relations director has an average salary of $115,268, which is higher than the $94,692 average annual salary of a public relations director.
The top three skills for a media relations director include web content, spokesperson and crisis communications. The most important skills for a public relations director are press releases, web content, and pr campaigns.
| Media Relations Director | Public Relations Director | |
| Yearly salary | $115,268 | $94,692 |
| Hourly rate | $55.42 | $45.52 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 32,391 | 31,693 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Media Relations Director spearheads and oversees the brand image and overall media relations of an organization. They are responsible for making advertising and marketing decisions, setting goals and guidelines, establishing budgets and timelines, managing and coordinating directors, liaising with internal and external parties, delegating tasks among teams, and developing strategies from planning to execution. A Media Relations Director leads and encourages staff to reach goals while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A public relations director is an individual who is employed to design and implement marketing strategies that can cultivate the relationship between a company and the media. Public relations directors collaborate with the internal team to boost brand awareness and maximize brand consistency in all advertising efforts. They must arrange interviews and press releases so that they can promote their company and its products or services. They also maintain relationships with the media and should manage sensitive issues to maintain the company's good reputation.
Media relations directors and public relations directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Media Relations Director | Public Relations Director | |
| Average salary | $115,268 | $94,692 |
| Salary range | Between $70,000 And $188,000 | Between $59,000 And $150,000 |
| Highest paying City | Philadelphia, PA | Napa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Phoenix Children's | Exelixis |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Internet |
There are a few differences between a media relations director and a public relations director in terms of educational background:
| Media Relations Director | Public Relations Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 84% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between media relations directors' and public relations directors' demographics:
| Media Relations Director | Public Relations Director | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.2% Female, 38.8% | Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |