SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 27-3031.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $44,110 | $3,676 | $848 | $21.21 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $56,260 | $4,688 | $1,082 | $27.05 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $74,750 | $6,229 | $1,438 | $35.94 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $100,370 | $8,364 | $1,930 | $48.25 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $135,150 | $11,262 | $2,599 | $64.98 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Public Relations Specialists is $74,750, which is 47% higher. Among the 41 occupations of the field Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks number 13 by median pay. With 283,380 jobs, it makes up about 18 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($84,120) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Public Relations Specialists pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($102,740), Washington ($87,470) and California ($85,030). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($44,950), Guam ($48,460) and West Virginia ($56,730). The most jobs were in California (32,710), New York (28,250) and Texas (25,220). The occupation is most concentrated in District of Columbia, where its share of all jobs is 13.1 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 16,720 | $102,740 | $120,200 | $49.40 |
| Washington | 6,430 | $87,470 | $95,030 | $42.05 |
| California | 32,710 | $85,030 | $97,140 | $40.88 |
| Connecticut | 1,910 | $84,990 | $95,000 | $40.86 |
| New York | 28,250 | $81,250 | $95,760 | $39.06 |
| Colorado | 7,410 | $80,680 | $95,790 | $38.79 |
| Virginia | 9,990 | $80,380 | $92,860 | $38.65 |
| New Jersey | 4,980 | $80,130 | $88,460 | $38.52 |
| Massachusetts | 6,760 | $79,660 | $90,400 | $38.30 |
| Maryland | 4,190 | $79,560 | $88,560 | $38.25 |
| Rhode Island | 1,140 | $77,540 | $84,730 | $37.28 |
| Illinois | 6,200 | $76,380 | $86,060 | $36.72 |
| Delaware | 930 | $76,120 | $79,960 | $36.59 |
| Oregon | 4,510 | $74,900 | $80,470 | $36.01 |
| Nevada | 1,600 | $73,840 | $79,430 | $35.50 |
| New Hampshire | 1,140 | $73,280 | $81,020 | $35.23 |
| Georgia | 6,860 | $73,200 | $84,550 | $35.19 |
| North Dakota | 640 | $70,280 | $73,940 | $33.79 |
| Alaska | 640 | $70,050 | $77,650 | $33.68 |
| New Mexico | 1,130 | $68,700 | $75,750 | $33.03 |
| Minnesota | 8,260 | $68,620 | $74,790 | $32.99 |
| Wyoming | 480 | $67,490 | $75,790 | $32.45 |
| Wisconsin | 4,410 | $67,240 | $73,830 | $32.33 |
| North Carolina | 9,910 | $67,230 | $78,940 | $32.32 |
| Arizona | 5,350 | $66,710 | $76,700 | $32.07 |
| Vermont | 1,260 | $66,060 | $69,920 | $31.76 |
| Michigan | 7,510 | $65,300 | $73,660 | $31.39 |
| Texas | 25,220 | $65,160 | $72,860 | $31.33 |
| Arkansas | 980 | $65,000 | $77,080 | $31.25 |
| Oklahoma | 2,280 | $64,920 | $72,520 | $31.21 |
| Indiana | 3,750 | $64,900 | $72,510 | $31.20 |
| Kansas | 2,340 | $64,860 | $69,850 | $31.18 |
| Ohio | 6,670 | $64,840 | $74,520 | $31.18 |
| South Dakota | 210 | $64,520 | $71,890 | $31.02 |
| Hawaii | 1,800 | $63,880 | $70,190 | $30.71 |
| Montana | 1,760 | $63,780 | $67,960 | $30.66 |
| Florida | 17,820 | $63,660 | $71,950 | $30.61 |
| Iowa | 2,890 | $62,970 | $68,340 | $30.27 |
| South Carolina | 2,950 | $62,730 | $80,010 | $30.16 |
| Utah | 1,800 | $62,670 | $74,170 | $30.13 |
| Maine | 1,400 | $62,450 | $67,260 | $30.02 |
| Nebraska | 1,590 | $61,780 | $66,120 | $29.70 |
| Alabama | 2,410 | $61,710 | $70,760 | $29.67 |
| Missouri | 4,820 | $61,130 | $67,840 | $29.39 |
| Idaho | 1,220 | $61,110 | $66,910 | $29.38 |
| Tennessee | 3,380 | $60,900 | $65,360 | $29.28 |
| Louisiana | 1,710 | $60,470 | $67,520 | $29.07 |
| Kentucky | 2,580 | $60,150 | $67,550 | $28.92 |
| Virgin Islands | 60 | $59,990 | $62,670 | $28.84 |
| Mississippi | 950 | $59,810 | $64,830 | $28.75 |
| Pennsylvania | 11,180 | $57,460 | $65,660 | $27.62 |
| West Virginia | 350 | $56,730 | $64,450 | $27.27 |
| Guam | not published | $48,460 | $51,690 | $23.30 |
| Puerto Rico | 520 | $44,950 | $49,860 | $21.61 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Film and Video Editors$75,420 a year
- Set and Exhibit Designers$75,240 a year
- Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film$74,990 a year
- Music Directors and Composers$73,710 a year
- Media and Communication Workers, All Other$73,620 a year
- Sound Engineering Technicians$73,130 a year
Common questions
How much do Public Relations Specialists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $74,750 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $44,110 and the highest-paid 10% more than $135,150.
How many people work as Public Relations Specialists?
About 283,380 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
More in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Pay converter