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The differences between public relations representatives and 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 representative and a communications specialist. Additionally, a public relations representative has an average salary of $57,476, which is higher than the $51,023 average annual salary of a communications specialist.
The top three skills for a public relations representative include press releases, facebook and event planning. The most important skills for a communications specialist are customer service, powerpoint, and patients.
| Public Relations Representative | Communications Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $57,476 | $51,023 |
| Hourly rate | $27.63 | $24.53 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 23,506 | 42,819 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| 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.
A communications specialist takes charge of addressing the public by coming up with various strategic campaigns, newsletters, public correspondence, press releases, and advertisements. Their primary role focuses on promoting, shaping, and enhancing a brand's image through public relations. Furthermore, a communications specialist is responsible for handling any complaints or issues, devising and conducting damage control to resolve bad publicity should there be any. It is also essential for a communications specialist to adhere to the company's policies and regulations at all times.
Public relations representatives and communications specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Relations Representative | Communications Specialist | |
| Average salary | $57,476 | $51,023 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $89,000 | Between $36,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | McLean, VA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Brex | |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a public relations representative and a communications specialist in terms of educational background:
| Public Relations Representative | Communications Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between public relations representatives' and communications specialists' demographics:
| Public Relations Representative | Communications Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% | Male, 42.9% Female, 57.1% |
| 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, 10.0% 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% |