$69,661
Avg. Median Salary
Salary Overview
Public Relations Specialists median salaries range from $54,920 to $101,200 across
the 49 metro areas tracked, a 84% spread.
The national average median salary for this occupation is $69,661.
The highest-paying metro area for public relations specialists is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $101,200,
while Memphis, TN-MS-AR pays the least at $54,920.
Total estimated employment across all tracked metros is 177,250.
Top 5 Highest-Paying Metro Areas
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | Employment | vs Average |
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $101,200 | 2,400 | +45% |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $98,460 | 6,040 | +41% |
| 3 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $95,370 | 24,000 | +37% |
| 4 | Salt Lake City, UT | $93,220 | 1,680 | +34% |
| 5 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92,060 | 4,410 | +32% |
5 Lowest-Paying Metro Areas
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | Employment | vs Average |
| 1 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $54,920 | 510 | -21% |
| 2 | Pittsburgh, PA | $56,800 | 1,620 | -18% |
| 3 | Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI | $58,020 | 1,040 | -17% |
| 4 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $58,020 | 820 | -17% |
| 5 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $58,600 | 2,970 | -16% |
All Metro Areas for Public Relations Specialists
| Metro Area | Median Salary | Employment | vs Average |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $101,200 | 2,400 | +45% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $98,460 | 6,040 | +41% |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $95,370 | 24,000 | +37% |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $93,220 | 1,680 | +34% |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92,060 | 4,410 | +32% |
| Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT | $85,690 | 750 | +23% |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $85,360 | 2,250 | +23% |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $79,990 | 23,640 | +15% |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $77,530 | 4,460 | +11% |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $77,380 | 11,930 | +11% |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $77,290 | 2,360 | +11% |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA | $76,940 | 4,290 | +10% |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $76,680 | 6,460 | +10% |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $75,840 | 2,960 | +9% |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $73,740 | 1,270 | +6% |
| Columbus, OH | $73,090 | 1,930 | +5% |
| Richmond, VA | $72,070 | 1,580 | +3% |
| Albuquerque, NM | $69,680 | 600 | +0% |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $69,410 | 2,600 | +0% |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $67,230 | 5,290 | -3% |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $66,910 | 2,140 | -4% |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $66,000 | 770 | -5% |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $65,350 | 4,380 | -6% |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $64,810 | 1,970 | -7% |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $64,380 | 4,810 | -8% |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | $64,380 | 3,830 | -8% |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $64,060 | 2,320 | -8% |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $63,910 | 4,890 | -8% |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | $63,800 | 790 | -8% |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL | $63,340 | 5,530 | -9% |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $63,150 | 7,310 | -9% |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $62,850 | 3,270 | -10% |
| Boise City, ID | $62,850 | 560 | -10% |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | $62,660 | 1,760 | -10% |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $62,580 | 5,130 | -10% |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $62,270 | 1,890 | -11% |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $62,250 | 2,490 | -11% |
| Birmingham-Hoover, AL | $62,110 | 670 | -11% |
| Ogden-Clearfield, UT | $61,590 | 180 | -12% |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $61,160 | 980 | -12% |
| Tulsa, OK | $60,430 | 550 | -13% |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $60,000 | 1,190 | -14% |
| Jacksonville, FL | $59,250 | 1,130 | -15% |
| Tucson, AZ | $58,690 | 850 | -16% |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $58,600 | 2,970 | -16% |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $58,020 | 820 | -17% |
| Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI | $58,020 | 1,040 | -17% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $56,800 | 1,620 | -18% |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $54,920 | 510 | -21% |
Compare Salaries Across Cities
See how public relations specialists salaries compare to cost of living in different metro areas.
Salary Calculator Data Sources
Salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), 2024 estimates. SOC code: 27-3031.
Verify at bls.gov/oes