27
Public Relations Specialists is a notable career in the 27 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Public Relations Specialists against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 27-3031 |
| title | Public Relations Specialists |
| onet code | 27-3031.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 4 |
| major group | 27 |
| tot emp | 280,590 |
| a mean | 80,310 |
| a median | 69,780 |
| a pct10 | 40,750 |
| a pct25 | 51,970 |
| a pct75 | 95,940 |
| a pct90 | 129,480 |
| h mean | 38 |
| h median | 33 |
The day-to-day work of a public relations specialists typically centers on respond to requests for information from the media or designate an appropriate spokesperson or information source. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Speaking, Active Listening, and Social Perceptiveness. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.91 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working public relations specialists, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (90.9%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 100% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in District of Columbia at $97,800 and lowest in West Virginia at $52,080 — a 1.9× spread. The top five states (District of Columbia, Washington, Connecticut, California, New York) average $85,384. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $97,800 | $114,580 | $60,990 | $186,360 | 18,110 |
| Washington | $85,500 | $94,470 | $58,360 | $137,530 | 6,650 |
| Connecticut | $83,620 | $90,260 | $48,890 | $151,470 | 1,990 |
| California | $81,490 | $92,580 | $48,060 | $146,040 | 31,070 |
| New York | $78,510 | $93,290 | $49,350 | $149,880 | 25,780 |
| Virginia | $77,800 | $86,160 | $43,960 | $137,170 | 9,580 |
| Colorado | $77,120 | $92,070 | $47,150 | $128,710 | 7,050 |
| Utah | $75,700 | $77,030 | $39,470 | $107,080 | 2,620 |
| New Jersey | $75,640 | $85,180 | $48,710 | $138,150 | 5,820 |
| Delaware | $75,540 | $81,650 | $45,200 | $128,250 | 860 |
| Massachusetts | $75,230 | $84,920 | $44,230 | $135,730 | 8,080 |
| Georgia | $72,800 | $88,840 | $39,000 | $124,390 | 6,130 |
| Rhode Island | $72,770 | $79,650 | $47,610 | $123,780 | 1,370 |
| Maryland | $72,690 | $79,970 | $39,990 | $137,290 | 4,760 |
| New Hampshire | $70,570 | $86,910 | $45,930 | $141,010 | 1,200 |
| Wyoming | $69,670 | $74,620 | $47,120 | $112,120 | 330 |
| Alaska | $68,910 | $73,110 | $43,530 | $106,070 | 730 |
| North Dakota | $66,660 | $73,140 | $49,810 | $100,570 | 590 |
| New Mexico | $65,770 | $70,990 | $43,250 | $107,740 | 1,180 |
| Nevada | $65,280 | $71,420 | $41,910 | $108,390 | 1,090 |
| South Dakota | $65,000 | $66,580 | $47,530 | $91,640 | 240 |
| Arizona | $64,800 | $77,560 | $41,600 | $121,230 | 5,960 |
| Oregon | $64,580 | $76,500 | $42,960 | $122,290 | 4,750 |
| Arkansas | $64,520 | $74,320 | $37,500 | $128,070 | 1,060 |
| Wisconsin | $64,380 | $69,960 | $42,920 | $100,480 | 4,530 |
| Minnesota | $64,110 | $72,290 | $40,180 | $107,020 | 6,970 |
| Illinois | $63,590 | $72,690 | $38,730 | $111,050 | 6,360 |
| Hawaii | $63,510 | $68,230 | $38,980 | $100,200 | 1,570 |
| North Carolina | $63,280 | $68,760 | $36,400 | $104,000 | 9,290 |
| Ohio | $62,560 | $71,970 | $37,740 | $120,950 | 6,580 |
| Missouri | $62,230 | $69,400 | $37,440 | $105,540 | 5,790 |
| Kansas | $61,910 | $65,400 | $39,140 | $96,160 | 2,430 |
| Alabama | $61,160 | $69,550 | $35,850 | $112,870 | 2,240 |
| Louisiana | $61,150 | $67,700 | $39,380 | $98,550 | 1,360 |
| Indiana | $61,110 | $69,280 | $37,740 | $104,170 | 4,080 |
| Texas | $61,100 | $67,120 | $32,910 | $103,920 | 25,270 |
| Michigan | $61,060 | $68,700 | $37,170 | $108,520 | 8,610 |
| South Carolina | $60,550 | $71,240 | $36,990 | $129,670 | 2,820 |
| Florida | $60,210 | $68,870 | $36,410 | $110,950 | 18,500 |
| Oklahoma | $59,990 | $67,060 | $36,760 | $104,120 | 2,230 |
| Iowa | $59,490 | $64,180 | $35,360 | $98,090 | 2,980 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,260 | $64,870 | $34,720 | $99,110 | 9,260 |
| Montana | $58,630 | $66,000 | $37,280 | $104,140 | 1,450 |
| Kentucky | $58,150 | $64,380 | $32,190 | $102,050 | 2,260 |
| Maine | $57,700 | $62,900 | $42,350 | $89,980 | 1,200 |
| Idaho | $57,690 | $62,850 | $32,440 | $95,470 | 1,120 |
| Vermont | $56,770 | $67,360 | $42,470 | $83,450 | 1,110 |
| Nebraska | $56,430 | $61,830 | $35,440 | $90,520 | 1,570 |
| Tennessee | $56,200 | $60,960 | $31,860 | $93,990 | 3,000 |
| Mississippi | $54,790 | $65,570 | $30,580 | $100,310 | 880 |
| West Virginia | $52,080 | $62,100 | $38,310 | $97,100 | 350 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for public relations specialists. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Audience Coordinator or Brand Advocate frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Public Relations Specialists compares to others in the 27 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Public Relations Specialists
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.