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The differences between public relations specialists and public affairs 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 specialist and a public affairs specialist. Additionally, a public affairs specialist has an average salary of $66,383, which is higher than the $48,124 average annual salary of a public relations specialist.
The top three skills for a public relations specialist include press releases, web content and project management. The most important skills for a public affairs specialist are news stories, veterans, and fact sheets.
| Public Relations Specialist | Public Affairs Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $48,124 | $66,383 |
| Hourly rate | $23.14 | $31.91 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 29,698 | 19,889 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| 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.
Psychology research assistants take charge of the operational and administrative tasks like mailing surveys, summarizing results, and managing correspondence. The research assistants identify the areas in need of improvement and score psychological tests. They prepare the interview questions and summarize test results. Their job involves responding to research-related emails and take part in project meetings. Also, they update the content of websites and prepare reports of their progress. The skills they need in carrying out this job include communication, critical thinking, attention to detail, and technical skills.
Public relations specialists and public affairs specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Relations Specialist | Public Affairs Specialist | |
| Average salary | $48,124 | $66,383 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $68,000 | Between $43,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Virginia |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Government |
There are a few differences between a public relations specialist and a public affairs specialist in terms of educational background:
| Public Relations Specialist | Public Affairs Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between public relations specialists' and public affairs specialists' demographics:
| Public Relations Specialist | Public Affairs Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7% | Male, 47.2% Female, 52.8% |
| 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, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |