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The differences between public affairs managers 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 public affairs manager and a public affairs specialist. Additionally, a public affairs manager has an average salary of $84,758, which is higher than the $66,383 average annual salary of a public affairs specialist.
The top three skills for a public affairs manager include external stakeholders, press releases and government relations. The most important skills for a public affairs specialist are news stories, veterans, and fact sheets.
| Public Affairs Manager | Public Affairs Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $84,758 | $66,383 |
| Hourly rate | $40.75 | $31.91 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 24,984 | 19,889 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Psychology associates are entry-level professionals who assist psychologists with assessing, diagnosing, and treating individuals with mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. These associates are required to provide psychological services for children and adults who are under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. They must conduct assessments on individuals to identify psychological, emotional, and behavioral issues after they are discharged from hospitals. Psychology associates must also design and facilitate individual and group therapy programs specifically for adolescents who are involved in substance abuse.
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.
Public affairs managers and public affairs specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Affairs Manager | Public Affairs Specialist | |
| Average salary | $84,758 | $66,383 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $129,000 | Between $43,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | Virginia |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Government |
There are a few differences between a public affairs manager and a public affairs specialist in terms of educational background:
| Public Affairs Manager | Public Affairs Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between public affairs managers' and public affairs specialists' demographics:
| Public Affairs Manager | Public Affairs Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.8% Female, 51.2% | Male, 47.2% Female, 52.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 16% | 12% |