Public Relations Specialists · Washington

Public Relations Specialists Salary in Washington

Public Relations Specialists in Washington earn a median annual wage of $87,470 —17.0% above the national median of $74,750. That ranks WA #2 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$87,470
Median hourly
$42.05
Entry level (P10)
$60,760
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$136,020
90th percentile
Employment
6,430
1.8 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+17.0%
U.S. $74,750

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$60,760
$71,140
$87,470
$111,890
$60,760$87,470$136,020
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $87,470.

Employment concentration (0.99×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for public relations specialists

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Washington is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1District of Columbia$102,740$49.4016,72013.07
2Washington$87,470$42.056,4300.99
3California$85,030$40.8832,7100.99
4Connecticut$84,990$40.861,9100.62
5New York$81,250$39.0628,2501.60
6Colorado$80,680$38.797,4101.41
7Virginia$80,380$38.659,9901.33
8New Jersey$80,130$38.524,9800.64
9Massachusetts$79,660$38.306,7601.02
10Maryland$79,560$38.254,1900.83

Related occupations in Washington

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Washington.

OccupationWashington medianU.S. median
Coaches and Scouts$48,030$47,320
Graphic Designers$72,710$62,960
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers$48,780$39,390
Producers and Directors$81,550$90,360
Editors$77,850$77,920
Interior Designers$76,570$67,190

Frequently asked questions

How much do public relations specialists make in Washington?

The median annual wage for public relations specialists in Washington is $87,470, or $42.05 per hour. That is 17.0% above the national median of $74,750.

What is the entry-level public relations specialists salary in Washington?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $60,760 per year ($29.21/hour). The 25th percentile is $71,140.

How many people work as public relations specialists in Washington?

About 6,430 people work in this occupation in Washington, or 1.8 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Washington a good state for public relations specialists?

Washington ranks #2 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (0.99x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays public relations specialists the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median wage at $102,740 per year, followed by Washington ($87,470) and California ($85,030).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes