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The differences between public relations account executives and communications consultants 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 relations account executive and a communications consultant. Additionally, a communications consultant has an average salary of $91,455, which is higher than the $53,485 average annual salary of a public relations account executive.
The top three skills for a public relations account executive include press releases, digital marketing and fact sheets. The most important skills for a communications consultant are powerpoint, web content, and project management.
| Public Relations Account Executive | Communications Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $53,485 | $91,455 |
| Hourly rate | $25.71 | $43.97 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 121,389 | 29,942 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 86% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Public Relations Account Associate is responsible for managing the brand's media relations and strategizing promotional campaigns for client accounts. They coordinate with the clients for their specifications and requirements, including their budget limitations, target audience, and timetables. They also work closely with the sales team to identify the sales performance and adjust project management plans as needed. A Public Relations Account Associate handles brand communication to various media platforms and ensure that the methods lead to client success and satisfaction.
Communications consultants are responsible for preparing media releases, whether through print, video, or email. They perform varied tasks that may include working on complete projects such as media analysis and branding, creating strategies to reinforced communication among clients and employees, and providing guidance and recommendations to a company's public relations team. Communications consultants may also conduct training on best practices for other employees. Some employers prefer someone with a bachelor's degree in communications, public relations or journalism, previous work experience in a related field, and excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Public relations account executives and communications consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Relations Account Executive | Communications Consultant | |
| Average salary | $53,485 | $91,455 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $79,000 | Between $63,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | McLean, VA | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Edelman Financial Engines | Dell |
| Best paying industry | Media | Utilities |
There are a few differences between a public relations account executive and a communications consultant in terms of educational background:
| Public Relations Account Executive | Communications Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 86% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between public relations account executives' and communications consultants' demographics:
| Public Relations Account Executive | Communications Consultant | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% | Male, 43.5% Female, 56.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 5.3% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |