PR Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a PR Specialist make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a PR Specialist in the United States is $78,185 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $38.

However, a PR Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $94,943
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $72,018 to $86,957
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $66,402
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View as table View as graph 25% $72,018 10% $66,402 90% $94,943 75% $86,957 $78,185 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

PR Specialist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $86,957 $7,246 $1,672 $42
Average $78,185 $6,515 $1,504 $38
25th Percentile $72,018 $6,001 $1,385 $35
Check out PR Specialist Job Openings in the United States
Chief AI Officer

Confidential - Columbus, OH

Associate Vice President Internal Communications

Confidential - Columbus, OH

Vice President Credit Risk Strategy&Data Science

Confidential - Columbus, OH

Regional Truck Driver Company

KreilKamp Trucking - Columbus, OH

Search More PR Specialist Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence PR Specialist Salaries

A PR 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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects PR Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a PR 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): $62,720
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $77,540
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $97,369
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $121,363
  • Expert (over 8 years): $137,029
Levels Salary
Public Re... Level PR Specialist$62,720
PR Specia... Level PR Specialist$77,540
Public Re... Level PR Specialist$97,369
Public Re... Level PR Specialist$121,363
Public Re... Level PR Specialist$137,029
$62,720 0 yr
$77,540 < 2 yrs
$97,369 2-4 yrs
$121,363 5-8 yrs
$137,029 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for PR 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: $98,615
  • San Francisco: $97,535
  • Oakland: $95,480

What Skills Can Increase a PR Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 6.94% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.91% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • Marketing Research (Mentioned in 1.35% Job Postings): Marketing research is "the process or set of processes that links the producers, customers, and end users to the marketer through information used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions; monitor marketing performance; and improve understanding of marketing as a process. Marketing research specifies the information required to address these issues, designs the method for collecting information, manages and implements the data collection process, analyzes the results, and communicates the findings and their implications." It is the systematic gathering, recording, and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data about issues relating to marketing products and services. The goal of marketing research is to identify and assess how changing elements of the marketing mix impacts customer behavior. The term is commonly interchanged with market research; however, expert practitioners may wish to draw a distinction, in that market research is concerned specifically with markets, while marketing research is concerned specifically about marketing processes.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 6.94%
Microsoft Office 1.91%
Marketing Research 1.35%
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 PR Specialist's salary.
  • Marketing Research: Can increase your salary by up to 27%.
  • Corporate Communications: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • CRM: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Marketing Research
$99,295
27%
Corporate Communications
$90,695
16%
CRM
$88,349
13%
Relationship Management
$86,786
11%
Campaign Management
$86,786
11%
Building Relationships
$85,222
9%
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PR Specialist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For PR Specialist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the MFG Nondurable and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average. In contrast, PR Specialist positions in Pharmaceuticals or Financial Services typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view PR Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a PR Specialist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
MFG Nondurable$109,459$53.040%
Energy & Utilities$101,641$49.030%
Media$97,732$47.025%
Aerospace & Defense$93,822$45.020%
Telecom$93,822$45.020%

How Education impacts a PR Specialist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many PR Specialists enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a PR Specialist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $73,381 and $78,099).

PR Specialist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for PR Specialist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.0%
High School 1.0%
Associates 1.0%
Bachelors 73.6%
Masters 23.3%
Doctorate 1.2%
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PR Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a PR 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.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for PR Specialist

Salaries for a PR Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $75,954 in 2023 to around $75,811 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of PR Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of PR Specialist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$75,954
2024
$76,163
2025
$75,811
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $75,954
2024 $76,163
2025 $75,811
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for PR Specialist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for PR Specialist

Here are companies hiring for PR Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next PR Specialist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current PR Specialist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Payments Engineering. About the Company. Globally-recognized provider of corporate payment solutions. Industry. Financial Services. Type. P... more

    21 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Senior Vice President of Project Delivery. About the Company. A multi-billion-dollar construction organization with collaborative, servant-minded leadershi... more

    21 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Chief of Staff. About the Company. Innovative travel platform for booking & managing work trips. Industry. Computer Software. Type. Privately Held, VC-back... more

    21 Days Ago

  • McDonalds

    Columbus, OH

    McDonalds | Columbus, OH

    McDonald’s is seeking Crew Team Members to assist with daily restaurant operations including customer service, food preparation, and maintaining restaurant... more

    28 Days Ago

  • Amazon Flex

    Columbus, OH

    Amazon Flex | Columbus, OH

    Amazon Flex Delivery Drivers use their own vehicle to deliver Amazon packages to customers on scheduled delivery blocks. Drivers are responsible for pickin... more

    28 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Commercial. About the Company. Globally-recognized manufacturer of packaging components & delivery systems for injectable drugs. Industry. ... more

    1 Month Ago

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FAQ about PR Specialist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for PR Specialist?

The MFG Nondurable industry offers the highest average compensation for PR 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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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