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The differences between public relations account executives and public relations 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 relations account executive and a public relations specialist. Additionally, a public relations account executive has an average salary of $53,485, which is higher than the $48,124 average annual salary of a public relations specialist.
The top three skills for a public relations account executive include press releases, digital marketing and fact sheets. The most important skills for a public relations specialist are press releases, web content, and project management.
| Public Relations Account Executive | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $53,485 | $48,124 |
| Hourly rate | $25.71 | $23.14 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 121,389 | 29,698 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 86% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| 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.
A public relations specialist is an individual who creates and maintains a favorable public image of an organization by crafting media releases and developing social media programs. Public relations specialists must help their clients communicate effectively with the public as well as evaluate the public opinion of their clients through social media. They need to draft their press releases and contact people in the media who might want to broadcast their materials. Public relations specialists are also required to draft speeches and arrange interviews for the top executives of their organization.
Public relations account executives and public relations specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Relations Account Executive | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Average salary | $53,485 | $48,124 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $79,000 | Between $33,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | McLean, VA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | Washington |
| Best paying company | Edelman Financial Engines | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Media | Finance |
There are a few differences between a public relations account executive and a public relations specialist in terms of educational background:
| Public Relations Account Executive | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 86% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between public relations account executives' and public relations specialists' demographics:
| Public Relations Account Executive | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% | Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7% |
| 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, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |