Public Relations Specialists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for public relations specialists is $74,750, or $35.94 per hour. About 283,380 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $102,740 in District of Columbia to $56,730 in West Virginia.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $102,740 | $49.40 | 16,720 | 13.07 |
| 2 | Washington | $87,470 | $42.05 | 6,430 | 0.99 |
| 3 | California | $85,030 | $40.88 | 32,710 | 0.99 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $84,990 | $40.86 | 1,910 | 0.62 |
| 5 | New York | $81,250 | $39.06 | 28,250 | 1.60 |
| 6 | Colorado | $80,680 | $38.79 | 7,410 | 1.41 |
| 7 | Virginia | $80,380 | $38.65 | 9,990 | 1.33 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $80,130 | $38.52 | 4,980 | 0.64 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $79,660 | $38.30 | 6,760 | 1.02 |
| 10 | Maryland | $79,560 | $38.25 | 4,190 | 0.83 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $77,540 | $37.28 | 1,140 | 1.24 |
| 12 | Illinois | $76,380 | $36.72 | 6,200 | 0.56 |
| 13 | Delaware | $76,120 | $36.59 | 930 | 1.05 |
| 14 | Oregon | $74,900 | $36.01 | 4,510 | 1.26 |
| 15 | Nevada | $73,840 | $35.50 | 1,600 | 0.57 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $73,280 | $35.23 | 1,140 | 0.92 |
| 17 | Georgia | $73,200 | $35.19 | 6,860 | 0.77 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $70,280 | $33.79 | 640 | 0.82 |
| 19 | Alaska | $70,050 | $33.68 | 640 | 1.08 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $68,700 | $33.03 | 1,130 | 0.71 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $68,620 | $32.99 | 8,260 | 1.54 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $67,490 | $32.45 | 480 | 0.93 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $67,240 | $32.33 | 4,410 | 0.82 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $67,230 | $32.32 | 9,910 | 1.10 |
| 25 | Arizona | $66,710 | $32.07 | 5,350 | 0.91 |
| 26 | Vermont | $66,060 | $31.76 | 1,260 | 2.27 |
| 27 | Michigan | $65,300 | $31.39 | 7,510 | 0.94 |
| 28 | Texas | $65,160 | $31.33 | 25,220 | 0.98 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $65,000 | $31.25 | 980 | 0.41 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $64,920 | $31.21 | 2,280 | 0.73 |
| 31 | Indiana | $64,900 | $31.20 | 3,750 | 0.64 |
| 32 | Kansas | $64,860 | $31.18 | 2,340 | 0.89 |
| 33 | Ohio | $64,840 | $31.18 | 6,670 | 0.66 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $64,520 | $31.02 | 210 | 0.25 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $63,880 | $30.71 | 1,800 | 1.57 |
| 36 | Montana | $63,780 | $30.66 | 1,760 | 1.89 |
| 37 | Florida | $63,660 | $30.61 | 17,820 | 0.98 |
| 38 | Iowa | $62,970 | $30.27 | 2,890 | 1.02 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $62,730 | $30.16 | 2,950 | 0.70 |
| 40 | Utah | $62,670 | $30.13 | 1,800 | 0.57 |
| 41 | Maine | $62,450 | $30.02 | 1,400 | 1.20 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $61,780 | $29.70 | 1,590 | 0.85 |
| 43 | Alabama | $61,710 | $29.67 | 2,410 | 0.63 |
| 44 | Missouri | $61,130 | $29.39 | 4,820 | 0.90 |
| 45 | Idaho | $61,110 | $29.38 | 1,220 | 0.78 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $60,900 | $29.28 | 3,380 | 0.57 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $60,470 | $29.07 | 1,710 | 0.48 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $60,150 | $28.92 | 2,580 | 0.71 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $59,810 | $28.75 | 950 | 0.45 |
| 50 | Pennsylvania | $57,460 | $27.62 | 11,180 | 1.01 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $56,730 | $27.27 | 350 | 0.27 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do public relations specialists make?
The median annual wage for public relations specialists in the United States is $74,750, or $35.94 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $44,110, and the top 10% earn $135,150.
How many public relations specialists are employed in the U.S.?
About 283,380 people work as public relations specialists nationwide.
Which state pays public relations specialists the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $102,740, followed by Washington ($87,470) and California ($85,030).
Which state pays public relations specialists the least?
West Virginia has the lowest median at $56,730.
Where are public relations specialists jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 13.07×.