Public Relations Specialists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for public relations specialists in the U.S. is $74,750 ($35.94 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $74,750
- Mean annual wage
- $84,120
- Median hourly wage
- $35.94
- Employment
- 283,380
283,380 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,110 | $21.21 |
| 25th percentile | $56,260 | $27.05 |
| Median (50th) | $74,750 | $35.94 |
| 75th percentile | $100,370 | $48.25 |
| 90th percentile | $135,150 | $64.98 |
Highest-paying states for public relations specialists
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $102,740 | 16,720 |
| Washington | $87,470 | 6,430 |
| California | $85,030 | 32,710 |
| Connecticut | $84,990 | 1,910 |
| New York | $81,250 | 28,250 |
| Colorado | $80,680 | 7,410 |
| Virginia | $80,380 | 9,990 |
| New Jersey | $80,130 | 4,980 |
| Massachusetts | $79,660 | 6,760 |
| Maryland | $79,560 | 4,190 |
Lowest-paying states
- West Virginia: $56,730 median annual wage
- Pennsylvania: $57,460 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $59,810 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $60,150 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $60,470 median annual wage
Related occupations
- Coaches and Scouts$47,320
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.