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The differences between social media specialists and public relations coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a social media specialist and a public relations coordinator. Additionally, a social media specialist has an average salary of $51,584, which is higher than the $46,225 average annual salary of a public relations coordinator.
The top three skills for a social media specialist include social media marketing, instagram and digital marketing. The most important skills for a public relations coordinator are press releases, facebook, and twitter.
| Social Media Specialist | Public Relations Coordinator | |
| Yearly salary | $51,584 | $46,225 |
| Hourly rate | $24.80 | $22.22 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 47,228 | 35,324 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
A public relations coordinator is responsible for developing brand awareness for the organization's brand image. Public relations coordinators work closely with the marketing department to manage marketing campaigns, mainly social media platforms and events, promoting the organization. A public relations coordinator assists with press releases, media coverage, investor relations, and responding to clients' inquiries and concerns. Public relations coordinators also analyze current market trends to identify business opportunities that would meet public demands. They must have excellent communication skills, as well as be highly organized with meeting deadlines under minimal supervision.
Social media specialists and public relations coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Social Media Specialist | Public Relations Coordinator | |
| Average salary | $51,584 | $46,225 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $68,000 | Between $35,000 And $60,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Virginia |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Shiseido |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a social media specialist and a public relations coordinator in terms of educational background:
| Social Media Specialist | Public Relations Coordinator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 83% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between social media specialists' and public relations coordinators' demographics:
| Social Media Specialist | Public Relations Coordinator | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4% | Male, 24.3% Female, 75.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |