How much does a pr specialist make?
Answer: A typical pr specialist in the United States makes $74,750 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 283,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
PR specialist pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $44,110 | $74,750 | $135,150 | about 283,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $102,740 | about 17,000 |
| Washington | $87,470 | about 6,000 |
| California | $85,030 | about 33,000 |
| Connecticut | $84,990 | about 2,000 |
| New York | $81,250 | about 28,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, experience, useful specialist skills, and professional certification can affect PR pay, though certification is not usually required. Pay also varies by employer or industry, location, responsibility, and hours worked.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a pr specialist do?
Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media.
What's a typical day like?
They check current news and online reactions, then write a press release or answer a reporter’s question. They may update social posts, arrange an interview, and meet with a team to plan what to tell the public.
How to get this job
Most U.S. PR specialists earn a bachelor’s in PR, communications, social science, or business; internships help. There’s no fixed starting age, and a license or entry exam is not usually needed; certification is optional.
Usually a bachelor's degree (preparation level 4 of 5)
Good for people who like leading and selling and creating.
Did you know?
Some radio, TV, and newspaper stories begin at a PR specialist’s desk: they share information with journalists, who decide whether to cover it.
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Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/public-relations-specialists.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/27-3031.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes273031.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY