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The differences between public relations representatives and communications 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 representative and a communications consultant. Additionally, a communications consultant has an average salary of $91,455, which is higher than the $57,476 average annual salary of a public relations representative.
The top three skills for a public relations representative include press releases, facebook and event planning. The most important skills for a communications consultant are powerpoint, web content, and project management.
| Public Relations Representative | Communications Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $57,476 | $91,455 |
| Hourly rate | $27.63 | $43.97 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 23,506 | 29,942 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Public Relations Representatives will generally earn around $43K per year and will need oratorial, writing, interpersonal, presentation, prioritization, and IT skills, as well as a healthy dose of creativity and initiative. Those who choose this career path will need a bachelor's degree in public relations, journalism, communications, English, or business for their respective portfolios. They are also involved in the planning and execution of activities centered around PR and both internal and external communication in representing a brand or client.
Communications consultants are responsible for preparing media releases, whether through print, video, or email. They perform varied tasks that may include working on complete projects such as media analysis and branding, creating strategies to reinforced communication among clients and employees, and providing guidance and recommendations to a company's public relations team. Communications consultants may also conduct training on best practices for other employees. Some employers prefer someone with a bachelor's degree in communications, public relations or journalism, previous work experience in a related field, and excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Public relations representatives and communications consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Relations Representative | Communications Consultant | |
| Average salary | $57,476 | $91,455 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $89,000 | Between $63,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | McLean, VA | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Brex | Dell |
| Best paying industry | - | Utilities |
There are a few differences between a public relations representative and a communications consultant in terms of educational background:
| Public Relations Representative | Communications Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between public relations representatives' and communications consultants' demographics:
| Public Relations Representative | Communications Consultant | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% | Male, 43.5% Female, 56.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 5.3% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |