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The differences between public affairs specialists and media relations assistants 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 specialist and a media relations assistant. Additionally, a public affairs specialist has an average salary of $66,383, which is higher than the $45,450 average annual salary of a media relations assistant.
The top three skills for a public affairs specialist include news stories, veterans and fact sheets. The most important skills for a media relations assistant are press releases, athletics website, and press conferences.
| Public Affairs Specialist | Media Relations Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $66,383 | $45,450 |
| Hourly rate | $31.91 | $21.85 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 19,889 | 23,773 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
A media relations assistant is an entry-level media and public relation professional. They offer administrative support to a public relations department within an organization. They perform a number of tasks such as researching relevant trends and data that help with the company's PR campaign, helping create marketing materials, maintaining relationships with existing clients, and working to find new clients. They also have to keep accurate correspondence records and monitor social media accounts.
Public affairs specialists and media relations assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Affairs Specialist | Media Relations Assistant | |
| Average salary | $66,383 | $45,450 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $102,000 | Between $32,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | - |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | - |
| Best paying company | - | |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a public affairs specialist and a media relations assistant in terms of educational background:
| Public Affairs Specialist | Media Relations Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between public affairs specialists' and media relations assistants' demographics:
| Public Affairs Specialist | Media Relations Assistant | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.2% Female, 52.8% | Male, 41.8% Female, 58.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |