Public relations specialists

Detailed Occupation

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2024 Workforce

148k

Average Age

40.3

Estimated Job Growth

4.78%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$102,600

Average Male Salary

$121,188

Average Female Salary

$92,854

About

Public relations specialists are most often employed by the Advertising, public relations & related services industry. The average yearly wage for Public relations specialists was $102,600 in 2024.

The locations that employ the most Public relations specialists are District of Columbia (South Central) PUMA, DC, District of Columbia (Northeast) PUMA, DC, and District of Columbia (Central) PUMA, DC. The locations with a relatively high concentration of Public relations specialists are District of Columbia (South Central) PUMA, DC, District of Columbia (Northeast) PUMA, DC, and District of Columbia (West) PUMA, DC.

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Employment

Employment and salary information for the Public relations specialists workforce. Public relations specialists workforce in 2024 was 148,388 people, of which 65.6% were women and 34.4% were men.

Public relations specialists are paid most in Bridgeport Suburban PUMA, CT but are relatively concentrated in District of Columbia (South Central) PUMA, DC.

Employment Over Time

Metric

Grouping

51,039

Male Workforce

± 5.55k

97,349

Female Workforce

± 7.66k

The Public relations specialists workforce in 2024 was 148,388 people (65.6% women and 34.4% men). This implies an average annual growth of 19.3% between 2014 (124,385) and 2024 (148,388).

Employment by Location

Level

Metric

This map shows the states in the United States shaded by average wage for Public relations specialists.

During 2024, the states that concentrated the best average annual wage were District of Columbia ($147,498), Virginia ($139,561), and New Jersey ($130,261).

Yearly Wage Ranking

$102,600

AVERAGE WAGE

#81 in the ranking (2014)

$69,878

NATIONAL AVERAGE WAGE

For all occupations across the US

In 2024, Public relations specialists earned an average of $102,600, $32,722 more than the average national salary of $69,878

The graph shows the ranking of Public relations specialists in relation to all Detailed Occupation in 2014.

In 2024, Public relations specialists had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.422, which is lower than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Public relations specialists (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

The graphic shows the distribution of average salaries by buckets for Public relations specialists compared to the entire workforce in the country.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Public relations specialists and on wages for those in the field. Advertising, public relations & related services is the industry that employs the most Public relations specialists, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Public relations specialists, by average wage, is Drugs, sundries, & chemical & allied products merchant wholesalers ($264,670).

Occupations by Industries

Metric

Value

148k

2024 Workforce

± 9,453

5.19%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 8.67%

This graphic shows the share of Public relations specialists employed by various industries. Advertising, public relations & related services employs the largest share of Public relations specialists at 51.5%, followed by Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges with 17.9% and Civic, social, advocacy organizations, & grantmaking & giving services with 17.2%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Public relations specialists in the US. The workforce of Public relations specialists in 2024 was 148,388 people, with 65.6% woman, and 34.4% men. The average age of male Public relations specialists in the workforce is 42.2 and of female Public relations specialists is 39.4, and the most common race/ethnicity for Public relations specialists is White.

Gender and Age

Metric

The workforce of Public relations specialists in 2024 was 148,388 people, with 65.6% woman, and 34.4% men.

The age ranges that concentrated the largest workforce were 25 to 29 years (22,389 people), 30 to 34 years (22,117 people), and 35 to 39 years (19,729 people). Among them they concentrated 43.4% of the total workforce.

Ethnicity

Gender

In 2024, 14% of Public relations specialists workers were Hispanic and 86% non-Hispanic.

The treemap shows the distribution of Hispanic workers according to their origin, highlighting Mexican (46.8%), Puerto Rican (13.6)%, and Cuban (5.95)%

You can review this information by gender using the selectors above.

Races

In 2024, 72.4% of the Public relations specialists workforce were White, of which 64.9% were women and 35.1% men. Other races that concentrated a significant number of workers were Black (9.49%) and Two or More Races (9.28%).

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices for Public relations specialists from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Public relations specialists is Communications but the most specialized major according to RCA in 2024 were Communications.

Among the necessary skills for Public relations specialists, Speaking stands, but the revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Public relations specialists need more than the average amount of Operations Analysis.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

Type of Majors

Degree

The most common majors achieved by Public relations specialists in 2024 (counting all academic degrees) were Communications (39,746 people), Social Sciences (17,533 people), and Business (15,498 people).

You can review this information for different academic grades by modifying the option selected in the selector above.

Education Levels

Metric

The main educational levels achieved by the Public relations specialists workers were Bachelors Degree (83,428 people), Graduate Degree (39,050 people), and Some college (12,065 people).

The graphic shows the Public relations specialists workforce by gender and educational level.

Skills

Chart

Value

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Public relations specialists from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Public relations specialists need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness.

Projections

Projections on job growth for Public Relations Specialists from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 10-year national workforce is projected to grow 3.07%, but Public Relations Specialists are expected to see a growth of 4.78% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow more than the national average.

Job Growth

4.78%

Estimated Job Growth

10-year Projection

3.07%

National Growth

10-year Projection

This line chart shows the projected 10-year growth in the number of jobs for Public relations specialists. This profession is expected to grow more than than 3.07%, the average rate of national job growth.