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The differences between public relations specialists and senior 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 specialist and a senior communications specialist. Additionally, a senior communications specialist has an average salary of $78,948, 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 senior communications specialist are project management, powerpoint, and strategic communications.
| Public Relations Specialist | Senior Communications Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $48,124 | $78,948 |
| Hourly rate | $23.14 | $37.96 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 29,698 | 18,973 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| 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 senior communications specialist is primarily in charge of developing communication strategies in the company. Their responsibilities revolve around ensuring the smooth flow of internal and external communications, coordinating various departments, managing campaigns and event schedules, devising social media strategies, and supervising media relations. A senior communications specialist must also address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly. Furthermore, as a senior specialist, it is essential to lead and assist the junior specialists, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Public relations specialists and senior communications specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Public Relations Specialist | Senior Communications Specialist | |
| Average salary | $48,124 | $78,948 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $68,000 | Between $56,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Meta | Analysis Group |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a public relations specialist and a senior communications specialist in terms of educational background:
| Public Relations Specialist | Senior Communications Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between public relations specialists' and senior communications specialists' demographics:
| Public Relations Specialist | Senior Communications Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7% | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% |
| 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, 10.0% 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% |