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The differences between social media managers and social media specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become a social media manager, becoming a social media specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a social media manager has an average salary of $70,287, which is higher than the $51,584 average annual salary of a social media specialist.
The top three skills for a social media manager include instagram, twitter and digital marketing. The most important skills for a social media specialist are social media marketing, instagram, and digital marketing.
| Social Media Manager | Social Media Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $70,287 | $51,584 |
| Hourly rate | $33.79 | $24.80 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 105,475 | 47,228 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 4 |
Social media managers are responsible for representing the company's business through social media channels. They help the company grow by enhancing its presence via social networks. Primarily, they need to implement marketing plans and identify their target clients and create a content schedule. Their duties include implementing and strategizing digital marketing campaigns. They support the development of brand identity and promotional strategies. Candidates for the job must be excellent in communication skills, have in-depth knowledge of how social platforms work, and easily understand the target audience.
A social media specialist is an individual who is responsible for creating and administering content on all social media platforms to build an audience and ensure customer engagement. By using platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, social media specialists must create content that resonates with the interests of the intended audience. They are required to understand social media metrics so that they can use the information to ensure success in their social media strategy. Social media specialists must also work with industry professionals and influencers via social media to create a strong network.
Social media managers and social media specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Social Media Manager | Social Media Specialist | |
| Average salary | $70,287 | $51,584 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $98,000 | Between $38,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Professional |
There are a few differences between a social media manager and a social media specialist in terms of educational background:
| Social Media Manager | Social Media Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between social media managers' and social media specialists' demographics:
| Social Media Manager | Social Media Specialist | |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.9% Female, 61.1% | Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 10% | 12% |