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Public relations internship vs public relations consultant

The differences between public relations interns and public relations 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 internship and a public relations consultant. Additionally, a public relations consultant has an average salary of $50,333, which is higher than the $30,868 average annual salary of a public relations internship.

The top three skills for a public relations internship include press releases, facebook and twitter. The most important skills for a public relations consultant are press releases, web content, and strategic communications.

Public relations internship vs public relations consultant overview

Public Relations InternshipPublic Relations Consultant
Yearly salary$30,868$50,333
Hourly rate$14.84$24.20
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs65,16327,882
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 86%Bachelor's Degree, 81%
Average age4242
Years of experience44

What does a public relations internship do?

A public relations intern is responsible for assisting the public relations department in creating content to engage customers and prospective clients in availing of the goods and services of the company. Public relations interns participate in meetings to suggest strategies and observe areas of improvement. They also perform administrative duties as needed, post social media updates, review press releases, and research market trends. A public relations intern must be detail-oriented and communicative to assist customers with their concerns and inquiries.

What does a public relations consultant do?

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.

Public relations internship vs public relations consultant salary

Public relations interns and public relations consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Public Relations InternshipPublic Relations Consultant
Average salary$30,868$50,333
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $39,000Between $29,000 And $85,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateWashingtonWashington
Best paying companyMayor Ethan BerkowitzAbbVie
Best paying industryNon ProfitsMedia

Differences between public relations internship and public relations consultant education

There are a few differences between a public relations internship and a public relations consultant in terms of educational background:

Public Relations InternshipPublic Relations Consultant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 86%Bachelor's Degree, 81%
Most common majorCommunicationCommunication
Most common collegeUniversity of HoustonNorthwestern University

Public relations internship vs public relations consultant demographics

Here are the differences between public relations interns' and public relations consultants' demographics:

Public Relations InternshipPublic Relations Consultant
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 25.8% Female, 74.2%Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%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%
LGBT Percentage12%12%

Differences between public relations internship and public relations consultant duties and responsibilities

Public relations internship example responsibilities.

  • Manage relationship with vendors, media partners, secure coverage, track ROI and event logistics.
  • Manage CEO's LinkedIn account by consistently posting in relevant groups and connecting with prominent industry people.
  • Manage and write copy for client social media platforms and ECPR's social media deliverable, which involve SEO streamlining.
  • Manage all copywriting elements for live broadcasts and promotional commercials.
  • Assist in defining the best use of social media for the club including Facebook, twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
  • Create and distribute press releases, pitch letters, news articles, community biographies, and other various content pieces.
  • Show more

Public relations consultant example responsibilities.

  • Maintain strong working relationships across all departments to manage successful on-site opportunities, content and multimedia asset development and spokesperson requests.
  • Create the first official Instagram account for the fine arts galleries.
  • Create highly visible content by utilizing a wide variety of social media platforms and SEO trends.
  • Plan and execute all web, SEO, PPC, email, and social media campaigns.
  • Leverage Facebook to create digital referral network and increase visibility in consumer market.
  • Foster an energetic public discussion through Facebook and videos, exciting visual displays, carefully target humor and thought-provoking questions.
  • Show more

Public relations internship vs public relations consultant skills

Common public relations internship skills
  • Press Releases, 30%
  • Facebook, 5%
  • Twitter, 5%
  • Press Clippings, 4%
  • Instagram, 4%
  • Event Planning, 4%
Common public relations consultant skills
  • Press Releases, 19%
  • Web Content, 12%
  • Strategic Communications, 10%
  • Community Outreach, 5%
  • Facebook, 4%
  • Event Planning, 3%

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