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Best states for a public information specialist
Quoted expert
Karen Myers Ph.D.
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Public information specialist opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for public information specialists, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for public information specialists.In fact, our research shows that Rhode Island is the best state for public information specialists in America. The best city in America for public information specialists with the highest pay is New York, NY.
In order to get you the best states for public information specialists, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that the South is best for public information specialists, and the Northeast is the worst. New York, NY is the best city in the country for public information specialist jobs, where as Rhode Island is the best state in the country.
10 best states for public information specialists in 2026
1. Rhode Island
Total public information specialist jobs: 214 Average annual salary: $55,143 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
2. New York
Total public information specialist jobs: 1,878 Average annual salary: $62,701 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
3. New Jersey
Total public information specialist jobs: 1,068 Average annual salary: $68,303 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
4. Washington
Total public information specialist jobs: 1,098 Average annual salary: $60,090 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
5. District of Columbia
Total public information specialist jobs: 315 Average annual salary: $59,928 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 1.41
6. California
Total public information specialist jobs: 4,404 Average annual salary: $59,451 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
7. Connecticut
Total public information specialist jobs: 416 Average annual salary: $61,928 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $91,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
8. Alaska
Total public information specialist jobs: 158 Average annual salary: $50,903 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 1.42
9. Massachusetts
Total public information specialist jobs: 1,343 Average annual salary: $55,498 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
10. Arizona
Total public information specialist jobs: 958 Average annual salary: $48,820 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 1.23
Public information specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a public information specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a public information specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $55,143 | $37,000 | 1,059,639 | 214 |
| 2 | New York | $62,701 | $42,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,878 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $68,303 | $45,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,068 |
| 4 | Washington | $60,090 | $40,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,098 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $59,928 | $40,000 | 693,972 | 315 |
| 6 | California | $59,451 | $38,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,404 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $61,928 | $41,000 | 3,588,184 | 416 |
| 8 | Alaska | $50,903 | $38,000 | 739,795 | 158 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $55,498 | $37,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,343 |
| 10 | Arizona | $48,820 | $33,000 | 7,016,270 | 958 |
| 11 | Ohio | $56,070 | $37,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,184 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $46,533 | $32,000 | 755,393 | 164 |
| 13 | Delaware | $50,669 | $33,000 | 961,939 | 197 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $51,307 | $35,000 | 1,342,795 | 222 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $51,364 | $34,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,437 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $47,523 | $32,000 | 1,815,857 | 204 |
| 17 | Vermont | $45,034 | $31,000 | 623,657 | 133 |
| 18 | Colorado | $47,750 | $34,000 | 5,607,154 | 818 |
| 19 | Virginia | $53,462 | $35,000 | 8,470,020 | 834 |
| 20 | Nevada | $44,076 | $28,000 | 2,998,039 | 329 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $46,244 | $31,000 | 5,795,483 | 689 |
| 22 | Illinois | $46,343 | $31,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,612 |
| 23 | Oregon | $44,552 | $29,000 | 4,142,776 | 669 |
| 24 | Michigan | $45,774 | $30,000 | 9,962,311 | 936 |
| 25 | Maryland | $53,719 | $35,000 | 6,052,177 | 517 |
| 26 | Texas | $45,200 | $31,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,688 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $45,880 | $32,000 | 3,004,279 | 301 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $45,897 | $31,000 | 5,576,606 | 860 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $44,231 | $30,000 | 2,088,070 | 268 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $39,763 | $28,000 | 579,315 | 125 |
| 31 | Idaho | $43,157 | $29,000 | 1,716,943 | 241 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $39,135 | $27,000 | 869,666 | 166 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $40,576 | $28,000 | 1,920,076 | 324 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $44,395 | $30,000 | 4,454,189 | 383 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $38,737 | $26,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,449 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $41,331 | $29,000 | 6,715,984 | 695 |
| 37 | Utah | $37,808 | $26,000 | 3,101,833 | 539 |
| 38 | Indiana | $42,166 | $28,000 | 6,666,818 | 722 |
| 39 | Iowa | $38,025 | $26,000 | 3,145,711 | 497 |
| 40 | Montana | $35,473 | $25,000 | 1,050,493 | 196 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $38,260 | $26,000 | 4,684,333 | 376 |
| 42 | Georgia | $37,385 | $26,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,359 |
| 43 | Maine | $38,072 | $26,000 | 1,335,907 | 159 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $36,683 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 382 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $38,766 | $29,000 | 1,427,538 | 101 |
| 46 | Florida | $34,368 | $23,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,285 |
| 47 | Missouri | $38,089 | $26,000 | 6,113,532 | 671 |
| 48 | Kansas | $35,830 | $25,000 | 2,913,123 | 366 |
| 49 | Alabama | $36,350 | $25,000 | 4,874,747 | 483 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $33,886 | $23,000 | 5,024,369 | 485 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $33,262 | $23,000 | 2,984,100 | 229 |
Highest paying states for public information specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Public Information Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $55,143 |
| 2 | New York | $62,701 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $68,303 |
| 4 | Washington | $60,090 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $59,928 |
| 6 | California | $59,451 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $61,928 |
| 8 | Alaska | $50,903 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $55,498 |
| 10 | Arizona | $48,820 |
| 11 | Ohio | $56,070 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $46,533 |
| 13 | Delaware | $50,669 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $51,307 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $51,364 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $47,523 |
| 17 | Vermont | $45,034 |
| 18 | Colorado | $47,750 |
| 19 | Virginia | $53,462 |
| 20 | Nevada | $44,076 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $46,244 |
| 22 | Illinois | $46,343 |
| 23 | Oregon | $44,552 |
| 24 | Michigan | $45,774 |
| 25 | Maryland | $53,719 |
| 26 | Texas | $45,200 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $45,880 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $45,897 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $44,231 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $39,763 |
| 31 | Idaho | $43,157 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $39,135 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $40,576 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $44,395 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $38,737 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $41,331 |
| 37 | Utah | $37,808 |
| 38 | Indiana | $42,166 |
| 39 | Iowa | $38,025 |
| 40 | Montana | $35,473 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $38,260 |
| 42 | Georgia | $37,385 |
| 43 | Maine | $38,072 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $36,683 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $38,766 |
| 46 | Florida | $34,368 |
| 47 | Missouri | $38,089 |
| 48 | Kansas | $35,830 |
| 49 | Alabama | $36,350 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $33,886 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $33,262 |
Expert opinions on the best states for public information specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for public information specialists to find work opportunities?
Karen Myers Ph.D.
Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara
Thank goodness, our graduates are positioned pretty well to take advantage of many job opportunities during the pandemic. Any industry that can serve its clients remotely AND whose products are still in demand and sold during the epidemic is in a good position. Tech companies have been disrupted, but mostly they have adjusted and have an even greater need for their products. These companies are hiring and onboarding workers remotely. (I'm working on a research project studying workers who have been onboarded/socialized entirely remotely to compare it to traditional, in-person training.) A number of our grads have been hired in tech industries. I also see a lot of activity in marketing/PR. As long as these companies are serving industries and customers who are still buying, they are recovering and learning how to function in the new circumstances.
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Updated January 8, 2025