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The differences between public relations account executives and senior communications 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 senior communications specialist. Additionally, a senior communications specialist has an average salary of $78,948, 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 senior communications specialist are project management, powerpoint, and strategic communications.
| Public Relations Account Executive | Senior Communications Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $53,485 | $78,948 |
| Hourly rate | $25.71 | $37.96 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 121,389 | 18,973 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 86% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| 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 senior communications specialist is primarily in charge of developing communication strategies in the company. Their responsibilities revolve around ensuring the smooth flow of internal and external communications, coordinating various departments, managing campaigns and event schedules, devising social media strategies, and supervising media relations. A senior communications specialist must also address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly. Furthermore, as a senior specialist, it is essential to lead and assist the junior specialists, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Public relations account executives and senior communications specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Relations Account Executive | Senior Communications Specialist | |
| Average salary | $53,485 | $78,948 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $79,000 | Between $56,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | McLean, VA | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Edelman Financial Engines | Analysis Group |
| Best paying industry | Media | Technology |
There are a few differences between a public relations account executive and a senior communications specialist in terms of educational background:
| Public Relations Account Executive | Senior Communications Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 86% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between public relations account executives' and senior communications specialists' demographics:
| Public Relations Account Executive | Senior Communications Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% |
| 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, 10.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 5.3% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |