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The differences between media relations specialists 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 media relations specialist and a public relations manager. Additionally, a public relations manager has an average salary of $91,426, which is higher than the $50,856 average annual salary of a media relations specialist.
The top three skills for a media relations specialist include patients, compassion and press releases. The most important skills for a public relations manager are press releases, web content, and pr campaigns.
| Media Relations Specialist | Public Relations Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $50,856 | $91,426 |
| Hourly rate | $24.45 | $43.95 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 44,665 | 35,273 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A media relations specialist's role is to help a company maintain good public relations through various forms of media, ensuring to convey their brand's purpose and message. Their responsibilities typically revolve around developing strategies and opportunities, producing newsletters and press releases, remaining updated with the latest trends, and even managing the company's social media platforms. A media relations specialist may also delegate tasks to writers and graphic designers, arrange schedules, and ensure that all goals are met within the expected deadline and budget.
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.
Media relations specialists and public relations managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Media Relations Specialist | Public Relations Manager | |
| Average salary | $50,856 | $91,426 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $69,000 | Between $64,000 And $128,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Edelman Financial Engines | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a media relations specialist and a public relations manager in terms of educational background:
| Media Relations Specialist | Public Relations Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between media relations specialists' and public relations managers' demographics:
| Media Relations Specialist | Public Relations Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.6% Female, 69.4% | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | 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 | 12% | 16% |