Public Relations Specialists: Career Overview
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.
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What Do Public Relations Specialists Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of public relations specialists cover:
- Respond to requests for information from the media or designate an appropriate spokesperson or information source.
- Plan or direct development or communication of programs to maintain favorable public or stockholder perceptions of an organization's accomplishments, agenda, or environmental responsibility.
- Post and update content on the company's Web site and social media outlets.
- Write press releases or other media communications to promote clients.
- Establish or maintain cooperative relationships with representatives of community, consumer, employee, or public interest groups.
- Confer with other managers to identify trends or key group interests or concerns or to provide advice on business decisions.
- Coach client representatives in effective communication with the public or with employees.
- Study the objectives, promotional policies, or needs of organizations to develop public relations strategies that will influence public opinion or promote ideas, products, or services.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top public relations specialists rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Public Relations Specialists Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Audience Coordinator
- Brand Advocate
- Communication Specialist
- Communications Associate
- Communications Coordinator
- Communications Specialist
- Community Liaison
- Community Relations Coordinator
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 299,402 public relations specialists working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -3.5% over the projection horizon.
Public Relations Specialists Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $103,749 |
| Hourly median | $49.88 |
| 10th percentile | $66,245 |
| 25th percentile | $84,997 |
| 75th percentile | $122,501 |
| 90th percentile | $141,253 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Public Relations Specialists Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $97,800 |
| Washington | $85,500 |
| Connecticut | $83,620 |
| California | $81,490 |
| New York | $78,510 |
| Virginia | $77,800 |
| Colorado | $77,120 |
| Utah | $75,700 |
| New Jersey | $75,640 |
| Delaware | $75,540 |
| Massachusetts | $75,230 |
| Georgia | $72,800 |
| Rhode Island | $72,770 |
| Maryland | $72,690 |
| New Hampshire | $70,570 |
| Wyoming | $69,670 |
| Alaska | $68,910 |
| North Dakota | $66,660 |
| New Mexico | $65,770 |
| Nevada | $65,280 |
| South Dakota | $65,000 |
| Arizona | $64,800 |
| Oregon | $64,580 |
| Arkansas | $64,520 |
| Wisconsin | $64,380 |
| Minnesota | $64,110 |
| Illinois | $63,590 |
| Hawaii | $63,510 |
| North Carolina | $63,280 |
| Ohio | $62,560 |
| Missouri | $62,230 |
| Kansas | $61,910 |
| Alabama | $61,160 |
| Louisiana | $61,150 |
| Indiana | $61,110 |
| Texas | $61,100 |
| Michigan | $61,060 |
| South Carolina | $60,550 |
| Florida | $60,210 |
| Virgin Islands | $59,990 |
| Oklahoma | $59,990 |
| Iowa | $59,490 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,260 |
| Montana | $58,630 |
| Kentucky | $58,150 |
| Maine | $57,700 |
| Idaho | $57,690 |
| Vermont | $56,770 |
| Nebraska | $56,430 |
| Tennessee | $56,200 |
| Mississippi | $54,790 |
| West Virginia | $52,080 |
| Puerto Rico | $45,900 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for public relations specialists vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $80,431 | 23.0% | 4.80 |
| Far Western US | $79,118 | 16.3% | 1.01 |
| New England | $72,969 | 5.3% | 1.19 |
| Rocky Mountains | $72,764 | 4.5% | 1.19 |
| Southeast | $64,713 | 20.4% | 0.92 |
| Great Lakes | $62,426 | 10.7% | 0.79 |
| Plains States | $62,148 | 7.3% | 1.10 |
| Southwest | $61,824 | 12.3% | 0.98 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $102,500 | 60 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $101,200 | 2,400 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $98,460 | 6,040 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $95,370 | 24,000 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | UT | $93,220 | 1,680 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $92,060 | 4,410 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $90,000 | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $89,940 | 110 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of public relations specialists work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 64,390 | $76,240 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 40,730 | $65,930 |
| Educational Services | 36,150 | $63,570 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 21,780 | $61,100 |
| Finance and Insurance | 13,640 | $82,150 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 13,640 | $85,030 |
| Information | 13,220 | $81,590 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 9,180 | $50,320 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Video creation and editing software: Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Apple macOS (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Canva (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Cascading style sheets CSS (hot technology)
- Video conferencing software: Cisco Webex (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Data mining software: Google Analytics (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for public relations specialists tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Time Pressure
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Education and Training
Typical public relations specialists positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes (Primary-Long)
- Management Analysts (Supplemental)
- Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners (Supplemental)
- Fundraisers (Primary-Long)
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Search Marketing Strategists (Supplemental)
- Business Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Communications Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future public relations specialists typically earn programs in:
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
8 programs across 2 majors
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
2 programs across 1 majors
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 27-3031.00 (Public Relations Specialists).
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