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The differences between public relations specialists and media relations assistants 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 specialist and a media relations assistant. Additionally, a public relations specialist has an average salary of $48,124, which is higher than the $45,450 average annual salary of a media relations assistant.
The top three skills for a public relations specialist include press releases, web content and project management. The most important skills for a media relations assistant are press releases, athletics website, and press conferences.
| Public Relations Specialist | Media Relations Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $48,124 | $45,450 |
| Hourly rate | $23.14 | $21.85 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 29,698 | 23,773 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A public relations specialist is an individual who creates and maintains a favorable public image of an organization by crafting media releases and developing social media programs. Public relations specialists must help their clients communicate effectively with the public as well as evaluate the public opinion of their clients through social media. They need to draft their press releases and contact people in the media who might want to broadcast their materials. Public relations specialists are also required to draft speeches and arrange interviews for the top executives of their organization.
A media relations assistant is an entry-level media and public relation professional. They offer administrative support to a public relations department within an organization. They perform a number of tasks such as researching relevant trends and data that help with the company's PR campaign, helping create marketing materials, maintaining relationships with existing clients, and working to find new clients. They also have to keep accurate correspondence records and monitor social media accounts.
Public relations specialists and media relations assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Relations Specialist | Media Relations Assistant | |
| Average salary | $48,124 | $45,450 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $68,000 | Between $32,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | - |
| Highest paying state | Washington | - |
| Best paying company | Meta | - |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between a public relations specialist and a media relations assistant in terms of educational background:
| Public Relations Specialist | Media Relations Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between public relations specialists' and media relations assistants' demographics:
| Public Relations Specialist | Media Relations Assistant | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7% | Male, 41.8% Female, 58.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |