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The differences between public affairs managers and public relations directors 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 relations director. Additionally, a public relations director has an average salary of $94,692, which is higher than the $84,758 average annual salary of a public affairs manager.
The top three skills for a public affairs manager include external stakeholders, press releases and government relations. The most important skills for a public relations director are press releases, web content, and pr campaigns.
| Public Affairs Manager | Public Relations Director | |
| Yearly salary | $84,758 | $94,692 |
| Hourly rate | $40.75 | $45.52 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 24,984 | 31,693 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| 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.
A public relations director is an individual who is employed to design and implement marketing strategies that can cultivate the relationship between a company and the media. Public relations directors collaborate with the internal team to boost brand awareness and maximize brand consistency in all advertising efforts. They must arrange interviews and press releases so that they can promote their company and its products or services. They also maintain relationships with the media and should manage sensitive issues to maintain the company's good reputation.
Public affairs managers and public relations directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Affairs Manager | Public Relations Director | |
| Average salary | $84,758 | $94,692 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $129,000 | Between $59,000 And $150,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Napa, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Meta | Exelixis |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Internet |
There are a few differences between a public affairs manager and a public relations director in terms of educational background:
| Public Affairs Manager | Public Relations Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between public affairs managers' and public relations directors' demographics:
| Public Affairs Manager | Public Relations Director | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.8% Female, 51.2% | Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1% |
| 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, 6.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |