The average salary for a public relations specialist in the United States is around $51,605 per year.
Avg Salary
Public relations specialists earn an average yearly salary of $51,605.
Wages typically start from $29,819 and go up to $89,308.
15% below national average Updated in 2023
Public relations specialist earnings by seniority
Top-level public relations specialist earnings begin at:
$42.94 per hour
$89,308 per year
Senior-level public relations specialist earnings begin at:
$33.11 per hour
$68,874 per year
Mid-level public relations specialist earnings begin at:
$24.81 per hour
$51,605 per year
Junior-level public relations specialist earnings begin at:
$18.59 per hour
$38,665 per year
Starting level public relations specialist earnings begin at:
$14.34 per hour
$29,819 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Public relations specialist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $90,110 |
| Washington | $78,030 |
| New York | $77,310 |
| Virginia | $76,520 |
| California | $75,010 |
| New Jersey | $69,080 |
| Massachusetts | $66,570 |
| Rhode Island | $66,090 |
| Connecticut | $64,910 |
| Illinois | $63,540 |
| Colorado | $63,310 |
| Minnesota | $62,850 |
| North Dakota | $62,800 |
| Arizona | $62,560 |
| Maryland | $62,510 |
| Wisconsin | $62,130 |
| North Carolina | $61,970 |
| Ohio | $61,970 |
| Oregon | $61,970 |
| Delaware | $61,890 |
| Nevada | $61,700 |
| Hawaii | $61,620 |
| Alaska | $61,370 |
| New Hampshire | $61,300 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,800 |
| Kentucky | $60,680 |
| Michigan | $60,680 |
| Utah | $59,760 |
| Texas | $59,630 |
| Georgia | $56,640 |
| Iowa | $56,210 |
| New Mexico | $55,730 |
| Indiana | $55,110 |
| Tennessee | $53,580 |
| Missouri | $51,730 |
| Arkansas | $51,620 |
| Florida | $50,870 |
| Alabama | $50,810 |
| Nebraska | $50,710 |
| Wyoming | $50,300 |
| Idaho | $50,180 |
| Oklahoma | $50,050 |
| Vermont | $50,050 |
| South Dakota | $49,860 |
| Guam | $49,590 |
| South Carolina | $49,240 |
| Kansas | $48,980 |
| Montana | $48,980 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $48,980 |
| West Virginia | $48,980 |
| Maine | $48,970 |
| Louisiana | $47,040 |
| Mississippi | $38,550 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,950 |
How do public relations specialist salaries compare to similar careers?
Public relations specialists earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than cost estimators but more than sales representatives.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Cost estimator salary | $62K |
| Fundraiser salary | $61K |
| Car salesperson salary | $60K |
| Digital marketing specialist salary | $57K |
| Copywriter salary | $54K |
| Public relations specialist salary | $52K |
| Publicist salary | $49K |
| Market research analyst salary | $48K |
| Online merchant salary | $44K |
| Sales representative salary | $41K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)