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The differences between public relations consultants and communications coordinators 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 consultant and a communications coordinator. Additionally, a public relations consultant has an average salary of $50,333, which is higher than the $47,075 average annual salary of a communications coordinator.
The top three skills for a public relations consultant include press releases, web content and strategic communications. The most important skills for a communications coordinator are customer service, web content, and event planning.
| Public Relations Consultant | Communications Coordinator | |
| Yearly salary | $50,333 | $47,075 |
| Hourly rate | $24.20 | $22.63 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 27,882 | 39,790 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A public relations consultant represents an organization and is the company's way to communicate to the public their plans, decisions, and motivations. They both advertise and show the company's personality and create familiarity and trust. The public relations consultant's role is to create all the PR materials needed to accomplish these goals. It means writing press releases, online content, speeches, and also working with the marketing and advertising team to create copy that will evoke the interest of the public. The ultimate goal is to gain customers and thus increase sales.
A communications coordinator is responsible for overseeing the communications department's operations, developing the brand image, and monitoring press releases, company articles, and other related marketing materials for business promotion and visibility. Communications coordinators actively interact with existing and potential clients, negotiate contracts, and build profitable partnerships. They also develop strategic procedures for creating the business' online presence, organizing promotional events, and media conferences. A communications coordinator must have excellent communication and organization skills to maintain a good reputation and customer satisfaction.
Public relations consultants and communications coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Relations Consultant | Communications Coordinator | |
| Average salary | $50,333 | $47,075 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $85,000 | Between $34,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | AbbVie | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Media | Government |
There are a few differences between a public relations consultant and a communications coordinator in terms of educational background:
| Public Relations Consultant | Communications Coordinator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between public relations consultants' and communications coordinators' demographics:
| Public Relations Consultant | Communications Coordinator | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% | Male, 29.4% Female, 70.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.7% 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, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |