If you enjoy writing and communication, GCU’s programs in marketing and public relations can help you pursue a career in today’s ever-growing and evolving fields of business and media.
Speak with a University Counselor today.
Approved and verified accurate by the assistant dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences on Feb. 5, 2025.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
If you enjoy writing and other forms of communication, why not capitalize on your interests by pursuing a relevant career in the corporate world? A marketing or public relations (PR) career just might be the right fit for you. This career guide explores the differences and similarities between PR vs. marketing.
Marketing refers to any activities conducted by a company or on the company’s behalf that are intended to accomplish the following:
It’s the job of a marketing specialist to plan, launch and evaluate marketing and advertising campaigns. The end goal of those campaigns is to drive sales. Marketing specialists may work for an in-house marketing department at one particular company, such as an insurance company. Alternatively, they may work for a marketing firm where they develop campaigns for multiple organizations.1
PR specialists play a vital role in shaping and maintaining the public image of their clients, whether they are companies, organizations or individuals. Their primary focus is on building trust and fostering positive relationships with the public. When challenges arise, PR professionals act as strategic communicators, helping to address concerns transparently and emphasize their clients' values, achievements and commitment to improvement. By generating positive engagement and sharing compelling stories, PR specialists help ensure their clients' reputations reflect their true character and aspirations.
To accomplish their goals, PR specialists:
PR professionals may specialize in a particular subfield. For instance, some PR agencies may work exclusively with high-profile individuals, such as professional athletes and high-net-worth entrepreneurs.
Although marketing and PR are subfields that sometimes overlap, there are differences to be aware of as you think about your future career plans.
Here’s a look at some of the differences between PR vs. marketing:
You may have noticed that marketing and advertising are often used together or interchangeably. Marketing encompasses all activities designed to understand and anticipate customer needs, meet those needs and promote the organization — advertising is a subset of this field. It more narrowly focuses on achieving marketing goals through paid advertisements. These can include everything from radio and TV commercials to pay-per-click (PPC) ads online.
Both are forms of communication, and both intend to persuade in some way. Like with marketing, advertising differs from PR in a few ways.
Marketing and PR specialists often have similar responsibilities and sometimes engage in the same types of tasks. Furthermore, marketing and PR work go hand in hand and companies are dependent on both of them. In fact, at some smaller companies, one person might be in charge of both the marketing campaigns and the PR initiatives.
Here’s a look at some of the similarities between public relations vs. marketing:
The career pathways of marketing and PR specialists are similar but not entirely alike. Because of this, if you already know that a career in marketing is the right choice for you, then it’s a good idea to enroll in a marketing and advertising degree program.
Although the curriculum for a marketing degree may vary, you can generally expect to examine topics such as:
You might also take courses in market research, economics, strategic management and organizational behavior.
Students planning to pursue a career in public relations may decide to major in communications – some may decide to focus on human relations to supplement their degree, but it’s not required to become a PR specialist.
The typical curriculum for a communications degree may include:
Communications majors may take courses such as small group and relational communication, organizational communication and research methods in the communication field.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), advertising, promotions and marketing managers made a median annual salary of $156,580 as of May 2023.3 Note that the job of a marketing manager is not typically an entry-level one. The BLS reports that public relations specialists made a median annual salary of $66,750 as of May 2023.4
The BLS estimates the job growth rate for advertising, promotions and marketing managers to be 8% from 2023 to 2033, faster than average.5 Meanwhile, the BLS estimates the job growth rate for PR specialists to be 6% during the same time period, also faster than average.6
What does the future look like for these career fields? In some ways, artificial intelligence (AI) will shape the future of marketing and PR. For example, PR specialists can apply AI to data analytics to generate insights for their PR campaigns. The same applies to marketing, where AI data analytics can provide information about customer preferences to increase conversion rates.7
Each graduate’s career pathway will be a little different. Even if you earn a degree in marketing and then later decide to switch careers, you will have had the opportunity to develop numerous transferable soft skills that may be applicable in other types of workplaces and careers.
If you're interested in a career in public relations, you could enroll in a communications program. A typical degree choice for aspiring PR specialists, this is a reading- and writing-intensive degree program that can allow you to practice connecting to an audience effectively and sharing client’s messages.
Students who prefer to pursue a career in marketing could apply to a marketing and advertising program. This type of degree can prepare future professionals by exploring the fundamentals of brand awareness, crafting marketing messages and conducting market research.
Whatever your plans are, there is a degree program at Grand Canyon University that can help you pursue your dreams in public relations and marketing. In addition to our communications degree, GCU is pleased to offer the Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Advertising degree for aspiring marketing specialists. Fill out the form on this page to learn more about joining our supportive learning community.
