Public Relations & Communications Specialist Salary in the United States
How much does a Public Relations & Communications Specialist make in the United States?
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Public Relations & Communications Specialist in the United States is $60,106 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $29.
However, a Public Relations & Communications Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $70,054
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $52,155 to $65,313
Key Factors That Influence Public Relations & Communications Specialist Salaries
A Public Relations & Communications Specialist's salary isn't a fixed number.
It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Public Relations & Communications Specialist Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Public Relations & Communications Specialist's salary.
As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases.
Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $59,723
Early Career (1-2 years): $67,747
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $92,599
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $114,261
Expert (over 8 years): $113,960
Levels
Salary
Public Re... Level Public Relations & Communications Specialist
$59,723
Social Me... Level Public Relations & Communications Specialist
$67,747
Social Me... Level Public Relations & Communications Specialist
$92,599
Social Me... Level Public Relations & Communications Specialist
$114,261
Social Me... Level Public Relations & Communications Specialist
$113,960
$59,7230 yr
$67,747< 2 yrs
$92,5992-4 yrs
$114,2615-8 yrs
$113,960> 8 yrs
View as Table
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What Am I Worth?
How Do Public Relations & Communications Specialist Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work.
States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors
often pay more to attract Public Relations & Communications Specialists.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $66,549.
California: $66,297.
Massachusetts: $65,413.
District of Columbia$66,549
California$66,297
Massachusetts$65,413
Washington$65,173
New Jersey$65,149
Alaska$65,065
Connecticut$64,235
New York$63,899
Hawaii$62,823
Rhode Island$62,318
Maryland$61,975
Minnesota$61,507
Colorado$61,326
Illinois$61,266
Oregon$61,038
Delaware$60,869
New Hampshire$60,764
Virginia$60,527
Pennsylvania$59,836
Nevada$59,487
North Dakota$59,373
Michigan$59,192
Wisconsin$59,126
Vermont$58,994
Texas$58,627
Maine$58,603
Arizona$58,567
Ohio$58,525
Georgia$57,972
Indiana$57,696
Wyoming$57,642
Utah$57,558
Iowa$57,522
Kansas$57,233
Louisiana$57,149
North Carolina$57,119
Missouri$57,107
Florida$56,872
Montana$56,746
Nebraska$56,626
Kentucky$56,560
South Carolina$56,319
Tennessee$56,169
Idaho$56,109
New Mexico$55,670
Oklahoma$55,574
Alabama$55,219
South Dakota$54,624
Arkansas$54,300
West Virginia$54,126
Mississippi$53,603
Top Paying Cities for Public Relations & Communications Specialists
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $75,812
San Francisco: $74,982
Oakland: $73,402
San Jose, CA$75,812
San Francisco, CA$74,982
Oakland, CA$73,402
New York, NY$69,206
Paramus, NJ$68,364
Queens Village, NY$68,361
Passaic, NJ$68,304
Bergenfield, NJ$68,299
Stamford, CT$68,166
Huntington, NY$68,142
Newark, NJ$67,698
Bridgeport, CT$67,571
Vallejo, CA$67,451
New Brunswick, NJ$67,427
Petaluma, CA$67,391
Middlesex, NJ$67,277
Somerset, NJ$67,235
Santa Cruz, CA$67,157
Boston, MA$66,790
Monterey, CA$66,579
Seattle, WA$66,441
Santa Rosa, CA$66,429
Los Angeles, CA$66,411
Juneau, AK$66,255
Washington, DC$66,189
Orange, CA$65,975
Santa Ana, CA$65,816
Long Beach, CA$65,756
Anaheim, CA$65,744
Anchorage, AK$65,714
Santa Maria, CA$65,534
Everett, WA$65,522
Danbury, CT$65,310
Bremerton, WA$65,227
Tacoma, WA$65,011
New Suffolk, NY$65,010
Sacramento, CA$64,993
Santa Barbara, CA$64,927
Trenton, NJ$64,860
San Diego, CA$64,860
Brockton, MA$64,794
Fairbanks, AK$64,647
Lompoc, CA$64,494
Lowell, MA$64,445
Ventura, CA$64,434
Nashua, NH$64,422
Stockton, CA$64,416
Modesto, CA$63,977
Poughkeepsie, NY$63,845
Olympia, WA$63,730
Kennewick, WA$63,730
New Haven, CT$63,706
Lawrence, MA$63,490
Hartford, CT$63,430
Riverside, CA$63,418
New Bedford, MA$63,358
Richland, WA$63,358
Bakersfield, CA$63,274
San Bernardino, CA$63,250
New Britain, CT$63,244
Atlantic City, NJ$63,244
New London, CT$63,220
Norwich, CT$63,202
Portsmouth, NH$63,190
Boulder, CO$63,062
Portland, OR$62,979
Worcester, MA$62,973
Minneapolis, MN$62,787
Philadelphia, PA$62,703
Honolulu, HI$62,504
Saint Paul, MN$62,475
Vineland, NJ$62,462
Providence, RI$62,288
Chicago, IL$62,114
Bellingham, WA$62,042
Springfield, MA$61,993
Baltimore, MD$61,975
Chico, CA$61,825
Pittsfield, MA$61,663
Manchester, NH$61,549
Spokane, WA$61,284
Denver, CO$61,278
Albany, NY$60,996
Troy, NY$60,972
Nassau, NY$60,907
Schenectady, NY$60,845
Wilmington, DE$60,797
Burlington, VT$60,713
Salem, OR$60,689
Portland, ME$60,503
Yakima, WA$60,443
Rochester, MN$60,256
Reno, NV$60,226
Fresno, CA$60,226
Milwaukee, WI$60,172
Detroit, MI$60,112
Ann Arbor, MI$60,102
Allentown, PA$60,094
Colorado Springs, CO$59,992
Syracuse, NY$59,962
Carson City, NV$59,962
Houston, TX$59,878
Eugene, OR$59,848
Gary, IN$59,776
Springfield, OR$59,727
Bismarck, ND$59,715
Galveston, TX$59,673
Medford, OR$59,583
Fort Collins, CO$59,559
Concord, NH$59,529
Austin, TX$59,511
Mesa, AZ$59,385
Reading, PA$59,379
Phoenix, AZ$59,373
Dallas, TX$59,355
Saint Cloud, MN$59,297
Madison, WI$59,217
Utica, NY$59,054
Rochester, NY$58,958
Des Moines, IA$58,952
Raleigh, NC$58,946
Atlanta, GA$58,856
Battle Creek, MI$58,838
Salt Lake City, UT$58,820
Lancaster, PA$58,730
Harrisburg, PA$58,646
Kansas City, MO$58,585
Champaign, IL$58,573
Kansas City, KS$58,573
Fort Worth, TX$58,567
Columbus, OH$58,557
Boca Raton, FL$58,543
Pittsburgh, PA$58,519
Richmond, VA$58,495
Indianapolis, IN$58,483
Cleveland, OH$58,477
Las Vegas, NV$58,405
Cincinnati, OH$58,405
Petersburg, VA$58,315
Huntsville, AL$58,225
Lansing, MI$58,185
Lebanon, PA$58,177
Pueblo, CO$58,171
Appleton, WI$58,153
Buffalo, NY$58,129
Dayton, OH$58,111
Racine, WI$58,099
Charlotte, NC$58,093
Saint Louis, MO$58,075
York, PA$58,038
Elkhart, IN$58,038
Gastonia, NC$58,027
Billings, MT$58,013
Beaumont, TX$57,996
Lorain, OH$57,984
Benton Harbor, MI$57,972
Toledo, OH$57,960
Binghamton, NY$57,930
Rock Hill, SC$57,924
Rockford, IL$57,894
Springfield, IL$57,870
Elyria, OH$57,864
Fargo, ND$57,864
Flagstaff, AZ$57,822
Fort Lauderdale, FL$57,786
Duluth, MN$57,750
Miami, FL$57,750
Cheyenne, WY$57,708
Grand Forks, ND$57,708
Bangor, ME$57,576
Cedar Rapids, IA$57,510
Durham, NC$57,484
Louisville, KY$57,479
Grand Rapids, MI$57,467
Hialeah, FL$57,461
Casper, WY$57,377
Scranton, PA$57,305
New Orleans, LA$57,287
Virginia Beach, VA$57,281
Akron, OH$57,251
Peoria, IL$57,173
Sarasota, FL$57,161
Nashville, TN$57,119
Omaha, NE$57,119
Green Bay, WI$57,119
Baton Rouge, LA$57,089
Charleston, SC$57,077
Jamestown, NY$57,047
Davenport, IA$57,047
Tucson, AZ$57,017
Saint Petersburg, FL$56,981
Tampa, FL$56,969
Evansville, IN$56,932
Port Arthur, TX$56,932
Bradenton, FL$56,908
Santa Fe, NM$56,800
Orlando, FL$56,692
Clearwater, FL$56,674
Canton, OH$56,548
La Crosse, WI$56,548
Albuquerque, NM$56,512
Newport News, VA$56,506
High Point, NC$56,488
Ogden, UT$56,464
Corpus Christi, TX$56,416
Norfolk, VA$56,380
Laramie, WY$56,380
Rock Island, IL$56,343
Saginaw, MI$56,331
Jacksonville, FL$56,325
Salisbury, NC$56,313
Boise, ID$56,301
Moline, IL$56,271
Fort Myers, FL$56,253
Memphis, TN$56,241
Tulsa, OK$56,211
Waterloo, IA$56,175
Spartanburg, SC$56,115
Lincoln, NE$56,085
Fort Wayne, IN$56,073
Provo, UT$56,067
Cedar Falls, IA$55,995
San Antonio, TX$55,971
Greensboro, NC$55,947
South Bend, IN$55,941
Savannah, GA$55,875
Muskegon, MI$55,851
Birmingham, AL$55,845
Winston Salem, NC$55,815
Lake Charles, LA$55,670
Anderson, IN$55,658
Lexington, KY$55,640
Augusta, GA$55,622
Greenville, SC$55,622
Lima, OH$55,574
Wichita, KS$55,568
Tuscaloosa, AL$55,568
Columbia, SC$55,514
Springfield, OH$55,502
Asheville, NC$55,406
Bloomington, IN$55,364
Knoxville, TN$55,147
Shreveport, LA$55,141
Wilmington, NC$55,063
Roanoke, VA$55,063
Topeka, KS$54,955
Frankfort, KY$54,948
Oklahoma City, OK$54,907
Chillicothe, OH$54,883
Longview, TX$54,877
Melbourne, FL$54,871
Sioux Falls, SD$54,775
Mobile, AL$54,769
Terre Haute, IN$54,745
Altoona, PA$54,709
Amarillo, TX$54,666
Killeen, TX$54,648
Fayetteville, AR$54,600
Chattanooga, TN$54,582
Sioux City, IA$54,528
Idaho Falls, ID$54,516
Lynchburg, VA$54,468
Gainesville, FL$54,390
Portsmouth, OH$54,360
Little Rock, AR$54,348
Lafayette, LA$54,324
Youngstown, OH$54,324
Daytona Beach, FL$54,288
Clarksville, TN$54,282
Pensacola, FL$54,276
Temple, TX$54,272
Hopkinsville, KY$54,095
Erie, PA$54,083
Florence, SC$54,059
Charleston, WV$53,963
Great Falls, MT$53,933
Macon, GA$53,849
Tallahassee, FL$53,843
Fayetteville, NC$53,831
Waco, TX$53,819
Helena, MT$53,777
Pine Bluff, AR$53,754
Vincennes, IN$53,681
Lubbock, TX$53,657
Alamogordo, NM$53,621
Twin Falls, ID$53,567
Rapid City, SD$53,549
Jackson, MS$53,440
Huntington, WV$53,436
Greenville, MS$53,434
Parkersburg, WV$53,373
Montgomery, AL$53,362
Wichita Falls, TX$53,302
Springfield, MO$53,302
Biloxi, MS$53,272
Monroe, LA$53,212
Johnstown, PA$53,170
Sumter, SC$53,146
Columbus, GA$53,140
Pascagoula, MS$53,026
Abilene, TX$53,026
Kingsport, TN$52,869
Albany, GA$52,869
Gulfport, MS$52,851
Alexandria, LA$52,653
Fort Smith, AR$52,503
El Paso, TX$52,340
Las Cruces, NM$52,070
Harlingen, TX$51,917
Pocatello, ID$51,908
Florence, AL$51,829
Brownsville, TX$51,817
Mcallen, TX$51,691
Dothan, AL$51,607
Columbus, MS$51,250
Altus, OK$50,970
Lawton, OK$50,856
Pierre, SD$50,639
What Skills Can Increase a Public Relations & Communications Specialist's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Initiative (Mentioned in 4.78% Job Postings): Taking decisive action and initiating plans independently to address problems, improve professional life, and achieve goals.
Marketing Communications (Mentioned in 2.49% Job Postings): Marketing communications (MC, marcom(s), marcomm(s)) uses different marketing channels and tools in combination: Marketing communication channels focus on any way a business communicates a message to its desired market, or the market in general. A marketing communication tool can be anything from: advertising, personal selling, direct marketing, sponsorship, communication, and promotion to public relations. MC are made up of the marketing mix which is made up of 4P's: Price, Promotion, Place and Product, for a business selling goods, and made up of 7P's: Price, Promotion, Place, Product, People, Physical evidence and Process, for a service based business.
Public Relations (Mentioned in 2.04% Job Postings): Public relations (PR) is the practice of deliberately managing the spread of information between an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) and the public. Public relations may include an organization or individual gaining exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that do not require direct payment. This differentiates it from advertising as a form of marketing communications. Public relations is the idea of creating coverage for clients for free, rather than marketing or advertising. But now, advertising is also a part of greater PR Activities. An example of good public relations would be generating an article featuring a client, rather than paying for the client to be advertised next to the article. The aim of public relations is to inform the public, prospective customers, investors, partners, employees, and other stakeholders and ultimately persuade them to maintain a positive or favorable view about the organization, its leadership, products, or political decisions. Public relations professionals typically work for PR and marketing firms, businesses and companies, government, and public officials as PIOs and nongovernmental organizations, and nonprofit organizations. Jobs central to public relations include account coordinator, account executive, account supervisor, and media relations manager.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Initiative
4.78%
Marketing Communications
2.49%
Public Relations
2.04%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Public Relations & Communications Specialist's salary.
Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Analytical Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Project Management
$64,915
8%
Analysis
$64,314
7%
Analytical Skills
$64,314
7%
Online Marketing
$63,712
6%
Commitment
$63,712
6%
Insight
$63,111
5%
Get Latest Data
Public Relations & Communications Specialist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Public Relations & Communications Specialist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 90% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Financial Services and Internet
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average.
In contrast, Public Relations & Communications Specialist positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Public Relations & Communications Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Public Relations & Communications Specialist
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services
$84,149
$40.0
40%
Internet
$78,138
$38.0
30%
Biotechnology
$75,133
$36.0
25%
Pharmaceuticals
$72,127
$35.0
20%
Aerospace & Defense
$69,122
$33.0
15%
Public Relations & Communications Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Public Relations & Communications Specialist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$52,155
Average$60,106/year
$65,313
$4,346
Average$5,009/month
$5,443
$1,003
Average$1,156/week
$1,256
$25
Average$29/hour
$31
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$65,313
$5,443
$1,256
$31
Average
$60,106
$5,009
$1,156
$29
25th Percentile
$52,155
$4,346
$1,003
$25
Salaries of jobs related to Public Relations & Communications Specialist
Salary Trends for Public Relations & Communications Specialist
Salaries for a Public Relations & Communications Specialist can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary increased from $60,123 in 2023
to around $60,269 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Public Relations & Communications Specialist salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Public Relations & Communications Specialist Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$60,123
2024
$60,483
2025
$60,269
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$60,123
2024
$60,483
2025
$60,269
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Public Relations & Communications Specialist
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.
Compensation Planning
Common company salaries for Public Relations & Communications Specialist
Here are companies hiring for Public Relations & Communications Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.
C
$128,509/per year
C R Bard Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
H
$124,697/per year
Henry Schein Canada
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$123,899/per year
Nordex Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$120,416/per year
Nipro Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$115,870/per year
Enovis
Biotechnology
the United States
A
$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
Biotechnology
the United States
M
$112,110/per year
MiniMed Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug Development
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$110,229/per year
Life Technologies Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
Z
$106,224/per year
Zimmer Biomet
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$103,077/per year
Promontory Therapeutics
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$102,181/per year
Steris PLC
Biotechnology
the United States
G
$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicines
Biotechnology
the United States
R
$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLC
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$94,235/per year
Pleno Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$93,666/per year
Simulaids Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CAS
Biotechnology
the United States
O
$86,468/per year
Onward Technology
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$84,682/per year
Eyeco Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$84,523/per year
Paerosol
Biotechnology
the United States
I
$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$82,815/per year
Stateside PPE
Biotechnology
the United States
D
$82,041/per year
Digi Bio
Biotechnology
the United States
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FAQ about Public Relations & Communications Specialist
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Public Relations & Communications Specialist?
The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Public Relations & Communications Specialist roles,
with salaries approximately 40% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.