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The differences between media specialists and social media managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a media specialist, becoming a social media manager takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, a social media manager has an average salary of $70,287, 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 social media manager are instagram, twitter, and digital marketing.
| Media Specialist | Social Media Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $50,832 | $70,287 |
| Hourly rate | $24.44 | $33.79 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 39,401 | 105,475 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 10 |
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.
Social media managers are responsible for representing the company's business through social media channels. They help the company grow by enhancing its presence via social networks. Primarily, they need to implement marketing plans and identify their target clients and create a content schedule. Their duties include implementing and strategizing digital marketing campaigns. They support the development of brand identity and promotional strategies. Candidates for the job must be excellent in communication skills, have in-depth knowledge of how social platforms work, and easily understand the target audience.
Media specialists and social media managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Media Specialist | Social Media Manager | |
| Average salary | $50,832 | $70,287 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $73,000 | Between $50,000 And $98,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a media specialist and a social media manager in terms of educational background:
| Media Specialist | Social Media Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between media specialists' and social media managers' demographics:
| Media Specialist | Social Media Manager | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.9% Female, 47.1% | Male, 38.9% Female, 61.1% |
| 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, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 10% |