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Public Relations Specialists

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Artistic: Creating, designing and expressing ideas through art, writing, music or performance.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $74,750 Median per year · $35.94/hr Most earn $44,110–$135,150

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Plan or direct development or communication of programs to maintain favorable public or stockholder perceptions of an organization's accomplishments, agenda, or environmental responsibility.
  • Prepare or edit organizational publications, such as employee newsletters or stockholders' reports, for internal or external audiences.
  • Prepare or edit organizational publications, such as employee newsletters or stockholders' reports, for internal or external audiences.
  • 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.
  • Coach client representatives in effective communication with the public or with employees.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
2% more jobs by 2035, slower than average · about 23,000 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Advertising, public relations, and related services12.0%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools8.8%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals5.6%
  • Social advocacy organizations4.1%
  • Management of companies and enterprises4.0%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Public Relations Specialist is usually not a straight-out-of-school job. Most people earn a bachelor's degree and then spend about 1 to 2 years in an entry-level communications role before stepping into this career.

  1. Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, public relations, or marketing

    4 years

    You build writing, media, and research skills, and you can gain experience through internships. This degree is the typical starting point for the field.

  2. Public Relations Assistant

    1-2 years

    You help write press releases, manage media lists, post on social media, and support senior staff, which builds the experience employers look for.

  3. Public Relations Specialist

    Ongoing career role

    You promote an image for a company, group, or organization by writing or selecting material for the media and often managing its social media presence.

Where it can lead

  1. Public Relations Manager

    4-6 years of experience first

    You take on leadership of a team, plan larger campaigns, and handle high-level messaging, which usually requires several years of proven PR experience and strong judgment under pressure.

  2. Communications Director

    5-8 years of experience first

    You set the overall communications strategy for an organization and oversee managers, which typically requires a long record of leading successful campaigns.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take English, journalism, or speech classesStrong writing and speaking skills are the core of public relations work.
  • Join the school newspaper, yearbook, or broadcast clubThese groups teach you how to write for an audience and meet deadlines.
  • Help run school events or student council campaignsPlanning events and promoting them to classmates gives you real practice with messaging.
  • Volunteer with a local nonprofit or community groupHelping with newsletters, flyers, or social media shows you how organizations present themselves to the public.
  • Practice social media writing responsiblyManaging a school club's social accounts helps you learn tone, audience, and accuracy.

In college

  • Major in communications, journalism, or public relationsThese majors teach writing, media relations, and campaign planning, which the career depends on.
  • Take courses in marketing, psychology, or businessUnderstanding audiences and organizations helps you choose the right messages.
  • Get a PR or communications internshipInternships give you hands-on experience and often lead to entry-level job offers.
  • Write for the campus newspaper, radio station, or PR firm student groupPublished clips and real deadlines build your portfolio and confidence.
  • Work a campus job in admissions, student affairs, or the athletic departmentThese jobs often involve promoting events and writing messages to the public, which is good practice.

Tips for getting started

  • Start a portfolio now with writing samples, social media posts, or school newspaper articles, since employers often ask to see examples of your work.
  • Look for internships or part-time jobs at local businesses, nonprofits, school departments, or community organizations to learn how real campaigns work.
  • Check the career page on this app to see typical pay near you and nationally, and compare it with your own interests as you plan.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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