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The differences between media specialists and public relations coordinators 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 relations coordinator. Additionally, a media specialist has an average salary of $50,832, which is higher than the $46,225 average annual salary of a public relations coordinator.
The top three skills for a media specialist include digital marketing, video production and customer service. The most important skills for a public relations coordinator are press releases, facebook, and twitter.
| Media Specialist | Public Relations Coordinator | |
| Yearly salary | $50,832 | $46,225 |
| Hourly rate | $24.44 | $22.22 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 39,401 | 35,324 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| 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.
A public relations coordinator is responsible for developing brand awareness for the organization's brand image. Public relations coordinators work closely with the marketing department to manage marketing campaigns, mainly social media platforms and events, promoting the organization. A public relations coordinator assists with press releases, media coverage, investor relations, and responding to clients' inquiries and concerns. Public relations coordinators also analyze current market trends to identify business opportunities that would meet public demands. They must have excellent communication skills, as well as be highly organized with meeting deadlines under minimal supervision.
Media specialists and public relations coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Media Specialist | Public Relations Coordinator | |
| Average salary | $50,832 | $46,225 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $73,000 | Between $35,000 And $60,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Virginia |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Shiseido |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a media specialist and a public relations coordinator in terms of educational background:
| Media Specialist | Public Relations Coordinator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between media specialists' and public relations coordinators' demographics:
| Media Specialist | Public Relations Coordinator | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.9% Female, 47.1% | Male, 24.3% Female, 75.7% |
| 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, 10.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |