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The differences between media specialists and public affairs 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 specialist and a public affairs specialist. Additionally, a public affairs specialist has an average salary of $66,383, which is higher than the $50,832 average annual salary of a media specialist.
The top three skills for a media specialist include digital marketing, video production and customer service. The most important skills for a public affairs specialist are news stories, veterans, and fact sheets.
| Media Specialist | Public Affairs Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $50,832 | $66,383 |
| Hourly rate | $24.44 | $31.91 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 39,401 | 19,889 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Media specialists are individuals who establish and administer content on various social media platforms. The job involves monitoring site metrics, overseeing creative design, and responding to reader comments. Specialists offer advice to administrators and teachers on the use of non-print social media. They work for huge enterprises with multimedia departments, new media departments, and in-house websites. The skills the job requires include trend awareness, social media ads, community management, strong visual aesthetic, and understanding SEO.
Psychology research assistants take charge of the operational and administrative tasks like mailing surveys, summarizing results, and managing correspondence. The research assistants identify the areas in need of improvement and score psychological tests. They prepare the interview questions and summarize test results. Their job involves responding to research-related emails and take part in project meetings. Also, they update the content of websites and prepare reports of their progress. The skills they need in carrying out this job include communication, critical thinking, attention to detail, and technical skills.
Media specialists and public affairs specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Media Specialist | Public Affairs Specialist | |
| Average salary | $50,832 | $66,383 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $73,000 | Between $43,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Virginia |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Government |
There are a few differences between a media specialist and a public affairs specialist in terms of educational background:
| Media Specialist | Public Affairs Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between media specialists' and public affairs specialists' demographics:
| Media Specialist | Public Affairs Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.9% Female, 47.1% | Male, 47.2% Female, 52.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |