Public Relations Specialists Salary 2025: $72,327 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
- Official U.S. BLS OEWS data (May 2025)
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- Not self-reported estimates
$72,327 per year is the national median annual wage for public relations specialists (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $35/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $61,130 to $212,960. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 27-3031.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $72,327
- Median hourly wage
- $35/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $89,449
- Total US employment
- 194,140
- Top-paying metro
- San Jose, CA, CA ($117,620)
- BLS SOC code
- 27-3031
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
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The national median wage for public relations specialists (BLS SOC 27-3031) is $72,327 per year — about $35/hour — across 194,140 workers in 70 U.S. metros in the BLS OEWS May 2025 release. The mean wage of $89,449 sits above the median, which means a minority of high earners pulls the average up — the median is the more honest benchmark for a typical offer.
Experience drives the range as much as anything: the 10th percentile earns $49,164 while the 90th earns $140,941 — a 2.9× gap from entry-level to the top of the field. Most public relations specialists land in the $61,154–$110,041 band (25th–75th percentile), which is the right anchor when you size up an offer.
Location matters too. San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median at $117,620, versus $55,910 in Pittsburgh, PA, PA — a 110% gap. But adjusted for cost of living, Atlanta, GA delivers the strongest real purchasing power ($79,556 in national-average dollars), which can flip the nominal ranking for anyone weighing a move.
BLS OEWS reports base wage for this Creative role; bonuses, commissions, and equity are excluded, so total compensation for many public relations specialists runs meaningfully above the figures shown — particularly at the senior end of the distribution.
Public Relations Specialists Salary by Experience Level (2025)
BLS OEWS doesn’t publish wages by years of experience, but its national percentile bands map cleanly to career stages. Here’s what public relations specialists earn from entry-level to the top of the field.
| Career stage | Typical experience | BLS percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 0–2 years | 10th | $49,164 |
| Junior / early-career | 2–5 years | 25th | $61,154 |
| Mid-career | 5–10 years | 50th (median) | $79,140 |
| Senior | 10–15 years | 75th | $110,041 |
| Top earners | 15+ years | 90th | $140,941 |
Experience bands are SalaryTruth’s interpretation of BLS OEWS percentiles, not a separate BLS series. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and region.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Public Relations Specialists salaries range from $55,910 to $117,620 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Public Relations Specialists Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $61,130 | $83,726 | $117,620 | $165,290 | $212,960 | $60,072 | 2,200 |
| San Francisco, CA | $58,030 | $75,826 | $102,520 | $141,115 | $179,710 | $57,082 | 6,290 |
| Washington, DC | $61,520 | $77,584 | $101,680 | $148,835 | $195,990 | $66,545 | 22,810 |
| Seattle, WA | $62,330 | $75,798 | $96,000 | $121,110 | $146,220 | $64,257 | 3,980 |
| Sacramento, CA | $55,920 | $69,408 | $89,640 | $112,550 | $135,460 | $71,885 | 2,620 |
| Hartford, CT | $53,380 | $67,160 | $87,830 | $123,320 | $158,810 | $78,002 | 710 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $52,580 | $65,544 | $84,990 | $126,340 | $167,690 | $61,811 | 450 |
| New York, NY | $55,410 | $66,898 | $84,130 | $123,150 | $162,170 | $44,941 | 24,820 |
| Denver, CO | $56,720 | $67,204 | $82,930 | $116,460 | $149,990 | $73,520 | 4,560 |
| Boston, MA | $53,800 | $64,856 | $81,440 | $113,580 | $145,720 | $53,544 | 5,380 |
| San Diego, CA | $50,390 | $62,730 | $81,240 | $114,400 | $147,560 | $50,712 | 2,730 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $48,090 | $60,798 | $79,860 | $108,365 | $136,870 | $48,108 | 11,910 |
| Atlanta, GA | $46,540 | $59,492 | $78,920 | $105,775 | $132,630 | $79,556 | 4,750 |
| Portland, OR | $48,170 | $60,254 | $78,380 | $103,890 | $129,400 | $60,246 | 3,050 |
| Baltimore, MD | $47,750 | $59,678 | $77,570 | $105,720 | $133,870 | $67,925 | 1,880 |
| Providence, RI | $47,200 | $59,204 | $77,210 | $102,920 | $128,630 | $64,665 | 1,250 |
| Chicago, IL | $49,460 | $60,496 | $77,050 | $113,970 | $150,890 | $71,808 | 4,920 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $44,970 | $57,786 | $77,010 | $102,515 | $128,020 | $62,917 | 1,470 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $45,860 | $58,148 | $76,580 | $101,385 | $126,190 | $76,123 | 270 |
| Reno, NV | $44,710 | $57,162 | $75,840 | $110,330 | $144,820 | $71,211 | 290 |
| Richmond, VA | $46,870 | $58,414 | $75,730 | $101,925 | $128,120 | $74,172 | 1,760 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $48,870 | $59,542 | $75,550 | $103,620 | $131,690 | $72,297 | 750 |
| Charlotte, NC | $43,920 | $56,428 | $75,190 | $112,590 | $149,990 | $77,756 | 2,470 |
| Spokane, WA | $52,510 | $61,350 | $74,610 | $98,180 | $121,750 | $76,602 | 320 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $45,310 | $56,722 | $73,840 | $94,100 | $114,360 | $67,743 | 1,180 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $44,970 | $56,494 | $73,780 | $96,890 | $120,000 | $69,473 | 6,170 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $47,990 | $58,250 | $73,640 | $100,395 | $127,150 | $78,340 | 560 |
| Madison, WI | $49,440 | $59,068 | $73,510 | $91,065 | $108,620 | $70,819 | 1,410 |
| Columbus, OH | $45,190 | $56,426 | $73,280 | $98,855 | $124,430 | $78,711 | 1,840 |
| Fresno, CA | $39,920 | $53,100 | $72,870 | $93,145 | $113,420 | $69,071 | 490 |
| Rochester, NY | $43,640 | $54,880 | $71,740 | $93,510 | $115,280 | $77,223 | 880 |
| Anchorage, AK | $53,240 | $60,548 | $71,510 | $95,875 | $120,240 | $56,307 | 360 |
| Des Moines, IA | $43,850 | $54,574 | $70,660 | $94,500 | $118,340 | $75,734 | 1,050 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $46,430 | $56,054 | $70,490 | $93,425 | $116,360 | $70,000 | 3,860 |
| Austin, TX | $44,320 | $54,380 | $69,470 | $91,370 | $113,270 | $67,447 | 4,170 |
| Buffalo, NY | $41,640 | $52,736 | $69,380 | $90,815 | $112,250 | $75,005 | 820 |
| Dallas, TX | $44,480 | $54,400 | $69,280 | $91,530 | $113,780 | $66,551 | 7,300 |
| Raleigh, NC | $44,540 | $54,240 | $68,790 | $108,960 | $149,130 | $68,928 | 2,330 |
| New Orleans, LA | $45,390 | $54,674 | $68,600 | $92,260 | $115,920 | $71,533 | 490 |
| Houston, TX | $40,290 | $51,502 | $68,320 | $88,980 | $109,640 | $70,798 | 5,160 |
| Albany, NY | $44,050 | $53,726 | $68,240 | $91,960 | $115,680 | $67,766 | 1,580 |
| Kansas City, MO | $43,750 | $53,470 | $68,050 | $90,430 | $112,810 | $71,331 | 1,950 |
| Orlando, FL | $38,980 | $50,336 | $67,370 | $91,525 | $115,680 | $65,344 | 2,320 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $45,440 | $53,844 | $66,450 | $86,780 | $107,110 | $73,751 | 1,740 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $43,920 | $52,916 | $66,410 | $90,095 | $113,780 | $76,775 | 920 |
| Detroit, MI | $39,470 | $50,122 | $66,100 | $96,325 | $126,550 | $69,506 | 2,930 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $46,160 | $53,904 | $65,520 | $88,690 | $111,860 | $67,269 | 1,330 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $43,040 | $52,000 | $65,440 | $92,355 | $119,270 | $64,536 | 1,000 |
| St. Louis, MO | $43,640 | $52,252 | $65,170 | $86,580 | $107,990 | $72,411 | 1,990 |
| Birmingham, AL | $42,420 | $51,404 | $64,880 | $94,940 | $125,000 | $71,770 | 710 |
| Tampa, FL | $39,750 | $49,726 | $64,690 | $90,185 | $115,680 | $64,950 | 2,590 |
| San Antonio, TX | $40,100 | $49,936 | $64,690 | $85,855 | $107,020 | $70,699 | 1,870 |
| Miami, FL | $35,110 | $46,906 | $64,600 | $90,130 | $115,660 | $52,478 | 5,460 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $39,540 | $49,544 | $64,550 | $89,320 | $114,090 | $54,519 | 5,220 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $39,610 | $49,382 | $64,040 | $88,900 | $113,760 | $70,219 | 1,470 |
| Tulsa, OK | $36,470 | $47,386 | $63,760 | $84,010 | $104,260 | $73,456 | 680 |
| Omaha, NE | $41,490 | $50,374 | $63,700 | $79,635 | $95,570 | $69,390 | 780 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $37,450 | $47,918 | $63,620 | $94,875 | $126,130 | $66,898 | 1,070 |
| Wichita, KS | $39,690 | $49,186 | $63,430 | $86,360 | $109,290 | $75,512 | 370 |
| Greenville, SC | $39,520 | $49,036 | $63,310 | $103,625 | $143,940 | $70,266 | 470 |
| Boise, ID | $39,570 | $48,994 | $63,130 | $89,170 | $115,210 | $61,832 | 610 |
| Nashville, TN | $40,200 | $49,268 | $62,870 | $81,060 | $99,250 | $62,682 | 1,350 |
| Greensboro, NC | $40,070 | $49,074 | $62,580 | $81,800 | $101,020 | $68,543 | 490 |
| Lexington, KY | $41,060 | $49,588 | $62,380 | $85,100 | $107,820 | $68,324 | 520 |
| Little Rock, AR | $40,660 | $49,080 | $61,710 | $82,125 | $102,540 | $69,966 | 330 |
| Louisville, KY | $37,280 | $47,024 | $61,640 | $85,255 | $108,870 | $68,337 | 820 |
| Tucson, AZ | $40,210 | $48,778 | $61,630 | $77,995 | $94,360 | $64,602 | 800 |
| Memphis, TN | $37,980 | $47,188 | $61,000 | $82,190 | $103,380 | $72,619 | 670 |
| Knoxville, TN | $38,900 | $46,284 | $57,360 | $80,235 | $103,110 | $63,522 | 420 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $31,200 | $41,084 | $55,910 | $75,895 | $95,880 | $60,574 | 1,970 |
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Public Relations Specialist & H-1B Prevailing Wage
Sponsoring or filing an H-1B, PERM, or E-3 case? See the DOL prevailing-wage levels (1–4) for Public Relations Specialist, including the 2026 proposed increase.
Public Relations Specialist prevailing wage in San Jose, CA →Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Public Relations Specialist is $72,327 as of 2025 (BLS OEWS). The national mean (average) is $89,449. Salaries range from $55,910 to $117,620 median depending on city and cost of living.
Entry-level public relations specialists (10th percentile) earn about $49,164 per year nationally. Pay rises with experience to a median of $72,327, $110,041 at the 75th percentile, and $140,941 for the top 10% of earners.
The median public relations specialist earns about $35/hour, based on the $72,327 annual median over a standard 2,080-hour work year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median for Public Relations Specialist at $117,620, well above the national median of $72,327. Cost of living matters, though — see the COL-adjusted column in the city table above, which can reorder the rankings.
There are approximately 194,140 Public Relations Specialist positions in the US across 70 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey.
The 90th percentile public relations specialist earns $140,941 — about 2.9× the $49,164 entry-level wage. A spread that wide signals real income growth potential with experience, specialization, and location.
No. BLS OEWS reports base wages only — bonuses, commissions, overtime, and equity are excluded. For roles where variable pay is common, total compensation runs above the figures shown here.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.