Public Relations Specialists Salary
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations · 283K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$74,750
Median hourly
$36
Average annual
$84,120
Typical range
$44,110–$135,150
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Public Relations Specialists is $74,750 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $36 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media.
Most earn between $44,110 and $135,150 a year. There are roughly 283K people employed as public relations specialists in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Public Relations Specialists.
- Hourly
- $35.94
- Daily
- $288
- Weekly
- $1,438
- Bi-weekly
- $2,875
- Monthly
- $6,229
- Annual
- $74,750
$74,750 a year is around the 50th percentile for Public Relations Specialistss. The median is $74,750.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1District of Columbia$102,740
- 2Washington$87,470
- 3California$85,030
- 4Connecticut$84,990
- 5New York$81,250
- 6Colorado$80,680
- 7Virginia$80,380
- 8New Jersey$80,130
- 9Massachusetts$79,660
- 10Maryland$79,560
- 11Rhode Island$77,540
- 12Illinois$76,380
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$117,620
- 2Kennewick-Richland, WA$103,030
- 3San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$102,520
- 4Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$101,680
- 5Lexington Park, MD$99,960
- 6Napa, CA$98,190
- 7Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$96,000
- 8El Centro, CA$93,100
- 9Bloomington, IL$91,630
- 10New Haven, CT$91,530
- 11Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$89,640
- 12Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$87,830
Related job titles
Employers advertise Public Relations Specialists roles under these titles.
- Audience Coordinator
- Brand Advocate
- Communication Specialist
- Communications Associate
- Community Relations Coordinator
- Concert Promoter
- Consumer Advocate
- Content Marketing Specialist
- Corporate Communications Specialist
- Customer Specialist
- Environmental Communications Specialist
- Event Promoter
- Information and Communications Specialist
- Information Specialist
- Lobbyist
- Marketing Communications Coordinator
Related occupations
What a Public Relations Specialists does
- Respond to requests for information from the media or designate an appropriate spokesperson or information source.
- Plan or direct development or communication of programs to maintain favorable public or stockholder perceptions of an organization's accomplishments, agenda, or environmental responsibility.
- Post and update content on the company's Web site and social media outlets.
- Write press releases or other media communications to promote clients.
- Establish or maintain cooperative relationships with representatives of community, consumer, employee, or public interest groups.
- Confer with other managers to identify trends or key group interests or concerns or to provide advice on business decisions.
- Coach client representatives in effective communication with the public or with employees.
- Study the objectives, promotional policies, or needs of organizations to develop public relations strategies that will influence public opinion or promote ideas, products, or services.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Public Relations Specialists make?
- The median annual wage for Public Relations Specialists is $74,750 ($36 per hour). Pay ranges from about $44,110 at the 10th percentile to $135,150 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Public Relations Specialists?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $84,120, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Public Relations Specialistss the most?
- District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $102,740.
- Is Public Relations Specialists a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 283K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Public Relations Specialists do?
- Respond to requests for information from the media or designate an appropriate spokesperson or information source.; Plan or direct development or communication of programs to maintain favorable public or stockholder perceptions of an organization's accomplishments, agenda, or environmental responsibility.; Post and update content on the company's Web site and social media outlets..