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Public affairs manager vs public information officer

The differences between public affairs managers and public information officers 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 information officer. Additionally, a public affairs manager has an average salary of $84,758, which is higher than the $56,725 average annual salary of a public information officer.

The top three skills for a public affairs manager include external stakeholders, press releases and government relations. The most important skills for a public information officer are press releases, web content, and community outreach.

Public affairs manager vs public information officer overview

Public Affairs ManagerPublic Information Officer
Yearly salary$84,758$56,725
Hourly rate$40.75$27.27
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs24,984129,237
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 77%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

What does a public affairs manager do?

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.

What does a public information officer do?

The primary job of a public information officer involves the promotion of a positive public image on social media. Public information officers offer significant information during a crisis. They collect facts and distribute them to the media and organize special events like awards ceremonies. Typically, they work for large organizations and government agencies. They maintain their online presence that can be part of the duties of public information. Also, they can work for long hours on an irregular schedule, especially when the incidents or situations affect the organization.

Public affairs manager vs public information officer salary

Public affairs managers and public information officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Public Affairs ManagerPublic Information Officer
Average salary$84,758$56,725
Salary rangeBetween $55,000 And $129,000Between $38,000 And $83,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CAFairfield, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaDelaware
Best paying companyMetaCity of Fairfield
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalProfessional

Differences between public affairs manager and public information officer education

There are a few differences between a public affairs manager and a public information officer in terms of educational background:

Public Affairs ManagerPublic Information Officer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 77%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorCommunicationCommunication
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityNorthwestern University

Public affairs manager vs public information officer demographics

Here are the differences between public affairs managers' and public information officers' demographics:

Public Affairs ManagerPublic Information Officer
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 48.8% Female, 51.2%Male, 43.7% Female, 56.3%
Race ratioBlack 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, 5.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage16%16%

Differences between public affairs manager and public information officer duties and responsibilities

Public affairs manager example responsibilities.

  • Respond to media queries, write news releases and manage media engagements while acting as spokesperson for several multifacete organizations.
  • Respond to media queries, write news releases and manage media engagements while acting as spokesperson for several multifacete organizations.
  • Establish air show hashtags to auto-populate the wing s Facebook page with images taken by viewers in the crowd.
  • Track and optimize SEM and SEO for international online marketing campaigns.
  • Support SEO strategy to drive traffic to website, e-store and B2B sites.
  • Coordinate with USDA scientists to ensure accurate information before publishing.
  • Show more

Public information officer example responsibilities.

  • Manage agency's social media pages (Facebook/Twitter).
  • Manage multiple websites and associate SEO; direct all brand photography to publicize and promote the resort.
  • Serve as college spokesperson managing crisis communications.
  • Lead implementation of a robust membership database to support organization strategy and decision making.
  • Interview featured alumni, manage copywriting staff and editorial calendar, and coordinate photography.
  • Create and maintain the college's blackboard intranet site.
  • Show more

Public affairs manager vs public information officer skills

Common public affairs manager skills
  • External Stakeholders, 14%
  • Press Releases, 6%
  • Government Relations, 6%
  • Strategic Communications, 5%
  • Community Relations, 5%
  • Community Outreach, 5%
Common public information officer skills
  • Press Releases, 16%
  • Web Content, 10%
  • Community Outreach, 5%
  • Press Conferences, 4%
  • Graphic Design, 4%
  • Emergency Operations, 4%

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