Public Relations Specialists salary
Public Relations Specialists earn a median of $74,750 a year ($35.94/hr) in the U.S. – from $44,950 in Puerto Rico to $102,740 in District of Columbia. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$35.94/hr · $74,750 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$44,110$21.21/hr
75% earn more$56,260$27.05/hr
half earn more, half less$74,750$35.94/hr
25% earn more$100,370$48.25/hr
top 10% earn more$135,150$64.98/hr
pulled up by top earners$84,120$40.44/hr
How does my pay compare?
Enter your pay to see where you stand among public relations specialists. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for public relations specialists. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
16,720 jobs · $49.40/hr$102,740
6,430 jobs · $42.05/hr$87,470
32,710 jobs · $40.88/hr$85,030
1,910 jobs · $40.86/hr$84,990
28,250 jobs · $39.06/hr$81,250
7,410 jobs · $38.79/hr$80,680
9,990 jobs · $38.65/hr$80,380
4,980 jobs · $38.52/hr$80,130
6,760 jobs · $38.30/hr$79,660
4,190 jobs · $38.25/hr$79,560
1,140 jobs · $37.28/hr$77,540
6,200 jobs · $36.72/hr$76,380
930 jobs · $36.59/hr$76,120
4,510 jobs · $36.01/hr$74,900
1,600 jobs · $35.50/hr$73,840
1,140 jobs · $35.23/hr$73,280
6,860 jobs · $35.19/hr$73,200
640 jobs · $33.79/hr$70,280
640 jobs · $33.68/hr$70,050
1,130 jobs · $33.03/hr$68,700
8,260 jobs · $32.99/hr$68,620
480 jobs · $32.45/hr$67,490
4,410 jobs · $32.33/hr$67,240
9,910 jobs · $32.32/hr$67,230
5,350 jobs · $32.07/hr$66,710
1,260 jobs · $31.76/hr$66,060
7,510 jobs · $31.39/hr$65,300
25,220 jobs · $31.33/hr$65,160
980 jobs · $31.25/hr$65,000
2,280 jobs · $31.21/hr$64,920
3,750 jobs · $31.20/hr$64,900
2,340 jobs · $31.18/hr$64,860
6,670 jobs · $31.18/hr$64,840
210 jobs · $31.02/hr$64,520
1,800 jobs · $30.71/hr$63,880
1,760 jobs · $30.66/hr$63,780
17,820 jobs · $30.61/hr$63,660
2,890 jobs · $30.27/hr$62,970
2,950 jobs · $30.16/hr$62,730
1,800 jobs · $30.13/hr$62,670
1,400 jobs · $30.02/hr$62,450
1,590 jobs · $29.70/hr$61,780
2,410 jobs · $29.67/hr$61,710
4,820 jobs · $29.39/hr$61,130
1,220 jobs · $29.38/hr$61,110
3,380 jobs · $29.28/hr$60,900
1,710 jobs · $29.07/hr$60,470
2,580 jobs · $28.92/hr$60,150
950 jobs · $28.75/hr$59,810
11,180 jobs · $27.62/hr$57,460
350 jobs · $27.27/hr$56,730
520 jobs · $21.61/hr$44,950
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 27-3031. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do public relations specialists make?
The median wage for public relations specialists in the U.S. was $35.94 an hour or $74,750 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $56,260 and $100,370 a year.
Which state pays public relations specialists the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage for public relations specialists: $102,740 a year. The lowest published median is in Puerto Rico at $44,950. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many public relations specialists are there?
BLS estimates 283,380 public relations specialists were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.