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The differences between public relations representatives and media relations 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 media relations specialist. Additionally, a public relations representative has an average salary of $57,476, which is higher than the $50,856 average annual salary of a media relations specialist.
The top three skills for a public relations representative include press releases, facebook and event planning. The most important skills for a media relations specialist are patients, compassion, and press releases.
| Public Relations Representative | Media Relations Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $57,476 | $50,856 |
| Hourly rate | $27.63 | $24.45 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 23,506 | 44,665 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| 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 media relations specialist's role is to help a company maintain good public relations through various forms of media, ensuring to convey their brand's purpose and message. Their responsibilities typically revolve around developing strategies and opportunities, producing newsletters and press releases, remaining updated with the latest trends, and even managing the company's social media platforms. A media relations specialist may also delegate tasks to writers and graphic designers, arrange schedules, and ensure that all goals are met within the expected deadline and budget.
Public relations representatives and media relations specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Relations Representative | Media Relations Specialist | |
| Average salary | $57,476 | $50,856 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $89,000 | Between $36,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | McLean, VA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | Washington |
| Best paying company | Brex | Edelman Financial Engines |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a public relations representative and a media relations specialist in terms of educational background:
| Public Relations Representative | Media Relations Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Communication | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between public relations representatives' and media relations specialists' demographics:
| Public Relations Representative | Media Relations Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% | Male, 30.6% Female, 69.4% |
| 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, 10.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |