Post job

Press secretary vs public relations specialist

The differences between press secretaries and public relations 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 press secretary and a public relations specialist. Additionally, a press secretary has an average salary of $66,560, which is higher than the $48,124 average annual salary of a public relations specialist.

The top three skills for a press secretary include press releases, press conferences and policy issues. The most important skills for a public relations specialist are press releases, web content, and project management.

Press secretary vs public relations specialist overview

Press SecretaryPublic Relations Specialist
Yearly salary$66,560$48,124
Hourly rate$32.00$23.14
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs18,82729,698
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 85%Bachelor's Degree, 81%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

Press secretary vs public relations specialist salary

Press secretaries and public relations specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Press SecretaryPublic Relations Specialist
Average salary$66,560$48,124
Salary rangeBetween $45,000 And $96,000Between $33,000 And $68,000
Highest paying City-Seattle, WA
Highest paying state-Washington
Best paying company-Meta
Best paying industry-Finance

Differences between press secretary and public relations specialist education

There are a few differences between a press secretary and a public relations specialist in terms of educational background:

Press SecretaryPublic Relations Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 85%Bachelor's Degree, 81%
Most common majorPolitical ScienceCommunication
Most common collegeMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyNorthwestern University

Press secretary vs public relations specialist demographics

Here are the differences between press secretaries' and public relations specialists' demographics:

Press SecretaryPublic Relations Specialist
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 50.1% Female, 49.9%Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage12%12%

Differences between press secretary and public relations specialist duties and responsibilities

Press secretary example responsibilities.

  • Plan and manage social media efforts which generate> 22k incremental Instagram followers in four months.
  • Serve as a spokesperson on business and economic development matters.
  • Facilitate the placement of articles, columns, and editorials in support of key issues.
  • Serve as primary agency spokesperson conducting on-camera and radio interviews.
  • Foster an energetic public discussion through Facebook and videos, exciting visual displays, carefully target humor and thought-provoking questions.
  • Brief senior cabinet officers daily on local news and editorial coverage.
  • Show more

Public relations specialist example responsibilities.

  • Plan and manage social media efforts which generate> 22k incremental Instagram followers in four months.
  • Manage public affairs and media efforts including writing and placing op-eds and mobilizing editorial campaigns.
  • Maintain strong working relationships across all departments to manage successful on-site opportunities, content and multimedia asset development and spokesperson requests.
  • Prepare or edit organizational publications for internal and external audiences, including Facebook, media and local newspapers.
  • Launch Instagram account for Chevy Motorsports fans.
  • Promote company through personal blog, twitter and reddit pages.
  • Show more

Press secretary vs public relations specialist skills

Common press secretary skills
  • Press Releases, 33%
  • Press Conferences, 10%
  • Policy Issues, 5%
  • Press Events, 3%
  • Strategic Communications, 3%
  • Opinion Pieces, 3%
Common public relations specialist skills
  • Press Releases, 18%
  • Web Content, 6%
  • Project Management, 5%
  • Facebook, 4%
  • Story Development, 4%
  • Marketing Campaigns, 4%

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs