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The differences between publicity assistants and public 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 publicity assistant and a public relations specialist. Additionally, a public relations specialist has an average salary of $48,124, which is higher than the $39,387 average annual salary of a publicity assistant.
The top three skills for a publicity assistant include press releases, provide technical assistance and technical assistance. The most important skills for a public relations specialist are press releases, web content, and project management.
| Publicity Assistant | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $39,387 | $48,124 |
| Hourly rate | $18.94 | $23.14 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 8,193 | 29,698 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A publicity assistant aids and offers support to the publicity team at a public relations (PR) firm or related firms. Your duties may vary but typically include researching relevant trends and data for PR campaigns, assisting in the creation and selection of marketing materials, and developing and maintaining good client relationships. As a publicity assistant, you are responsible for promoting the organization and maintaining the public appearance, and managing and overseeing social media accounts. You are also responsible for maintaining accurate records of correspondence.
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.
Publicity assistants and public relations specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Publicity Assistant | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Average salary | $39,387 | $48,124 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $56,000 | Between $33,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Olympia, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Government | Finance |
There are a few differences between a publicity assistant and a public relations specialist in terms of educational background:
| Publicity Assistant | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 81% |
| Most common major | Business | Communication |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between publicity assistants' and public relations specialists' demographics:
| Publicity Assistant | Public Relations Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3% | Male, 30.3% Female, 69.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.6% 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, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |