Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between public relations associates and public 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 relations associate and a public relations assistant. Additionally, a public relations associate has an average salary of $48,953, which is higher than the $46,197 average annual salary of a public relations assistant.
The top three skills for a public relations associate include press releases, web content and facebook. The most important skills for a public relations assistant are press releases, facebook, and twitter.
| Public Relations Associate | Public Relations Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $48,953 | $46,197 |
| Hourly rate | $23.54 | $22.21 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 24,482 | 26,021 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A public relations associate is responsible for assisting the operations of the public relations department on developing campaigns and promotions to promote brand image on various digital platforms and other communication mediums. Public relations associates handle press releases, create digital content, organize public events, and identify business opportunities that would generate more revenue resources and attract potential clients. They also disseminate accurate information to the public regarding company news and special announcements. A public relations associate must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on adhering to deadlines and business requirements.
A public relations assistant is responsible for assisting the development of promotional campaigns based on clients' specifications to boost brand awareness and generate sales for the company. Public relations assistants support the organization's public relations department, such as handling press releases, monitoring social media platforms, scheduling media advertisements, and perform market research to identify close competitors and adjust campaign strategies as needed. They also perform administrative duties, responding to the client's inquiries and concerns, conducting customer surveys, and requesting supplies for marketing campaigns, requiring them to have excellent communication and customer service skills.
Public relations associates and public relations assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Relations Associate | Public Relations Assistant | |
| Average salary | $48,953 | $46,197 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $68,000 | Between $34,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | AstraZeneca | California Institute of Technology |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a public relations associate and a public relations assistant in terms of educational background:
| Public Relations Associate | Public Relations Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between public relations associates' and public relations assistants' demographics:
| Public Relations Associate | Public Relations Assistant | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.5% Female, 70.5% | Male, 24.5% Female, 75.5% |
| 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, 12.1% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |