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The differences between publication specialists 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 publication specialist and a media relations specialist. Additionally, a publication specialist has an average salary of $55,554, which is higher than the $50,856 average annual salary of a media relations specialist.
The top three skills for a publication specialist include technical publications, powerpoint and technical manuals. The most important skills for a media relations specialist are patients, compassion, and press releases.
| Publication Specialist | Media Relations Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $55,554 | $50,856 |
| Hourly rate | $26.71 | $24.45 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 27,008 | 44,665 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A publication specialist is responsible for assisting in publishing operations and supervising distribution processes accordingly. Publication specialists inspect the quality of materials before printing, such as verifying information, proofreading contents, and ensuring that the style meets the standard requirements and business guidelines. They may also handle the company's social media presence to attract the audience by posting publication updates and engaging captions. A publication specialist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in handling press releases, media communications, and writing sales reports.
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.
Publication specialists and media relations specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Publication Specialist | Media Relations Specialist | |
| Average salary | $55,554 | $50,856 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $84,000 | Between $36,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Meta | Edelman Financial Engines |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a publication specialist and a media relations specialist in terms of educational background:
| Publication Specialist | Media Relations Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Communication | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between publication specialists' and media relations specialists' demographics:
| Publication Specialist | Media Relations Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.6% Female, 64.4% | Male, 30.6% Female, 69.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 5.3% White, 67.0% 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% |