Public Relations Specialists
Also called: Audience Coordinator, Brand Advocate, Communication Specialist, Communications Associate, Communications Coordinator, Communications Specialist, Community Liaison, Community Relations Coordinator
Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations.
What public relations specialists do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Prepare or edit organizational publications, such as employee newsletters or stockholders' reports, for internal or external audiences.
- Arrange public appearances, lectures, contests, or exhibits for clients to increase product or service awareness or to promote goodwill.
- Plan or conduct market or public opinion research to test products or determine potential for product success, communicating results to client or management.
- Develop plans or materials to communicate organizational activities that are beneficial to the environment, public safety, or other important social issues.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Public Relations Specialists salary
The median annual wage for public relations specialists is $74,750 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $44,110 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $135,150. The mean annual wage is $84,120.
The mean hourly wage of $40.00 is 5.5× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Public Relations Specialists (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $74,750 → in 3 years $80,300 → in 5 years $84,200 → in 10 years $94,800 (10-year range $81,600–$110,100). The model assumes pay growth of +2.4% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Public Relations Specialists
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Public Relations Specialists? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Public Relations Specialists
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Public Relations Specialists United States | 広報コンサルタント Japan | 広報・PR担当 Japan | IR広報担当 Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $74,750 | ¥5.83M ≈ $37,094 | ¥5.25M ≈ $33,400 | ¥5.29M ≈ $33,620 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $94,800 | ¥7.24M | ¥5.85M | ¥6.00M |
| Outlook score | 45 | 50 | 36 | 40 |
| AI replacement risk | 66% High | 66% High | 82% Very high | 76% High |
| Workers | 283K | — | — | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Public Relations Specialists
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become public relations specialists
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as public relations specialists
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.