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Job outlook for public relations assistants in the United States
Public relations assistant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected public relations assistant job growth rate is 8% from 2018-2028.
About 22,300 new jobs for public relations assistants are projected over the next decade.
Public relations assistant salaries have increased 8% for public relations assistants in the last 5 years.
There are over 47,772 public relations assistants currently employed in the United States.
There are 26,021 active public relations assistant job openings in the US.
The average public relations assistant salary is $46,197.
Are public relations assistant jobs in demand?
Public relations assistant job and salary trends over time
Public relations assistant jobs over time
Public relations assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 47,772 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 48,134 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 48,169 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 47,048 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 46,004 | 0.01% |
Average public relations assistant salary over time
Public relations assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $46,197 | $22.21 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $44,976 | $21.62 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $44,131 | $21.22 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $43,616 | $20.97 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $42,674 | $20.52 | +2.2% |
Public relations assistant jobs by state
Most common states for public relations assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 285 | 41% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 104 | 17% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 133 | 14% |
| 4 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 82 | 14% |
| 5 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 122 | 12% |
| 6 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 101 | 12% |
| 7 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 115 | 11% |
| 8 | Alaska | 739,795 | 79 | 11% |
| 9 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 128 | 10% |
| 10 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 67 | 9% |
| 11 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 144 | 8% |
| 12 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 108 | 8% |
| 13 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 498 | 7% |
| 14 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 277 | 7% |
| 15 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 219 | 7% |
| 16 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 136 | 7% |
| 17 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 537 | 6% |
| 18 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 379 | 6% |
| 19 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 199 | 6% |
| 20 | New York | 19,849,399 | 924 | 5% |
Most common cities for public relations assistants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richmond | 1 | 3% | $43,652 |
| 2 | West Hollywood | 1 | 3% | $45,380 |
| 3 | Castle Rock | 1 | 2% | $45,933 |
| 4 | Knoxville | 1 | 1% | $48,919 |
| 5 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $46,139 |
| 6 | San Francisco | 1 | 0% | $48,152 |
Public Relations Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of public relations assistant experts
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Coastal Carolina University
Grand Valley State University
Saint Mary's College
University of Kentucky
Elon University
Winthrop University
Denison University
Bowie State University
University of Florida
What Public Relations Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Matthew Turner Ph.D., M.B.A.: It would impossible to say what an average Communication Specialist does since Communication is such a diverse field. The tasks that a professional would do would depend largely on the type of specialist they are and may well depend on seasonal factors or specific events. That person could work in HR, Corporate Communication, Sales, Public Relations, Media, Advertising, or a host of other fields. As someone entering the field you may well be learning from someone else the specifics of your job. You may also be asked to jump right in and create new communication campaigns or continue old ones with little training particularly in smaller businesses.
What Public Relations Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Laura Willis Calo Ph.D.: Highlight your relevant experiences from internships and/or courses focused on experiential learning. Complete certifications, such as those offered through PRSA, Hubspot, and Google, that further develop your skills and demonstrate your mastery.
What will help Public Relations Assistants increase their earning potential?
Laura Willis Calo Ph.D.: Stay up-to-date with the news! Being able to speak about current events will help you stand out in an interview and once you land the job. Get involved in your local PRSA chapter/district - this will help you grow your professional network and build your reputation.
What general advice would you give to a Public Relations Assistant?
Kimberly Lauffer: Public relations practitioners work in many different types of organizations, so it's hard to generalize a typical day. However, some activities include clipping (physically or electronically) mentions of their organization and its employees, coordinating interviews between media outlets and experts, identifying good internal stories and writing them, collecting B-roll for video news releases, identifying good external stories and pitching them to media outlets, monitoring social media, heading off or dealing with crises, etc. At the entry level in large academic, corporate, or agency-based organizations, a PR practitioner might have a very specialized role but in small or non-profit organizations, she might be a Jill-of-all-trades. Crucial public relations skills include writing, oral communication, critical thinking, and time management.
What Public Relations Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kimberly Lauffer: Some of the drawbacks in public relations include the 24-7 nature of some roles (media relations, crisis communication, social media). It can be difficult for new practitioners to prioritize daily activities when they have multiple demands for attention. However, it can also be a rewarding career, both intrinsically and financially.
What will help Public Relations Assistants increase their earning potential?
Kimberly Lauffer: PR is a good profession for a number of reasons. Depending on one's role, it often has a set, regular schedule. This is one reason why many journalists move into public relations after several years. Public relations can also be advocacy- or issue-focused, so when people have a strong interest in a particular topic (energy, animal welfare, health), it allows them to take an active role in promoting that issue.
What Public Relations Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Joy Daggs: 1. Knowing how to use AI responsibly. It can be used to make work more efficient. It's important to understand how to use it appropriately at a tool.
2. Understanding social media and how to interpret data to create and change messages.
3. 'Soft skills' such as public speaking, conflict management, and relationship building are not going away. You may need to learn to adapt those skills to a digital platform, such as Zoom or Teams. I am seeing current articles from publications such as Forbes about current graduates struggling in these areas, so sharpening these skills and your writing skills will set you apart.
What will help Public Relations Assistants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Joy Daggs: I have quite a bit of advice:
1. Get as much experience as an undergraduate as possible. Many programs require internships, but even if they don't, seek opportunities to get experience. Take leadership roles in student organizations. Even if it's not specifically a 'public relations' entitled position, anything where you practice your skills is helpful. Even if you need to work a job in retail or service, those jobs still provide important benefits other than a paycheck. Don't discount your experiences!
2. Don't pass up opportunities to meet professionals. Many schools and departments bring their alumni on campus or do virtual events so that you can meet and chat with professionals. Even if it's not required for class, GO. You never know when a casual conversation may lead to an internship or an important professional connection.
3. Use your LinkedIn profile to your advantage. Make sure you have a professional picture that shows you in your best light. Follow organizations that you want to work for and other professional organizations related to your interests. I know of people getting interviews based off of LinkedIn interactions. Check your other social media accounts to make sure that you are not presenting yourself poorly. Most likely, organizations will Google you or look up your personal social media. There are reports of students losing opportunities because of poor social media choices.
What will help Public Relations Assistants increase their earning potential?
Erica Haugtvedt Ph.D.: You can maximize your salary potential by presenting your previous experience in the best light and keying it to what the jobs you’re applying for want and need, even if you don’t have experience in that exact job before. If you’re able to write a compelling resume, you could land in a better starting position with a higher salary. The other advice I would give is to always negotiate. Even if you only get a little bit more money in salary for asking, all of that adds up over the years!
What Public Relations Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Holly Sullenger PhD: Soft skills such as communication, active listening, giving and receiving feedback, writing, and presenting well are crucial and will become more important.
What will help Public Relations Assistants increase their earning potential?
Mr. Daniel Routh: On a day-to-day basis, a communication specialist is likely to be interviewing or networking, planning an event, taking photos or videos, posting and managing social media on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube, meeting with teams or clients about branding and marketing, editing videos, or writing news updates.
What general advice would you give to a Public Relations Assistant?
Andrew Wood Ph.D.: The best way to maximize your salary potential is to demonstrate flexibility in at least two ways. A growing number of employers are expressing generational concerns with recent graduates' abilities to balance their personal priorities with organizational needs. Flexibility in this case reflects an capacity to recognize a problem and to provide solutions to unexpected challenges without needing excess managerial oversight. That said, flexibility also refers to an employee's recognition that they ought not plan to stay at one job (or even within one career) for a lifetime. Dedication to the present job is important; maintaining a broad network beyond one's workplace, though, is also essential to longer-term success.
What Public Relations Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Andrew Wood Ph.D.: People entering the field should become increasingly familiar with technologies related to social media, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality, while demonstrating an interest in contemporary issues such as health care, climate change, environmental justice, community engagement, and similarly high-impact issues. It's one thing to possess a degree in communication studies; it's a much more important thing to translate the field's concepts and theories to the problems (and opportunities) that are transforming our planet.
What will help Public Relations Assistants increase their earning potential?
Andrew Wood Ph.D.: Communication Studies, a field that traces its roots back to ancient inquiries into the nature of persuasion, remains in many ways an emerging field. After all, while traditional notions of public speaking emerge from time-testing insights, our field is constantly evolving to address new challenges, modalities, and opportunities. Thus my general advice to anyone entering the field is to avoid relying solely on established career pathways. Yes, there are plenty of jobs in marketing, media production, speech writing, education, management, and the like. But the most effective job-seekers are those who are nimble, flexible, and focused on how they can articulate the value-add of their training to an organization's unique exigences.
What Public Relations Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Alice Veksler Ph.D., BCPA: Practice your interpersonal skills and think about how what you have learned in your coursework translates to your chosen field of work. Teamwork, conflict resolution, social media savvy, and professionalism can make or break a career. Being able to articulate and demonstrate mastery of these skills with concrete examples during an interview can help land the job and then embodying the skillset of an excellent communicator will lead to professional success. Networking is also key so making sure that you do internships and engage with others in your chosen field helps with securing a job. Forging connections early in one's career can pay massive dividends down the road. We say that 'you get jobs by talking to people' and this maxim is especially true for a broad field like communication studies. Finally, I always encourage a healthy work-life balance to avoid burnout and maximize productivity.
What will help Public Relations Assistants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Alice Veksler Ph.D., BCPA: The single most important thing you can do is learn effective negotiation skills so that you negotiate a good salary and benefits package. Starting salaries will often set the baseline for future earning potential so being able to ensure that you are paid your worth early on is very important. New hires are often hesitant to negotiate salary to their detriment. Effective salary negotiation requires knowing how to do some basic market research to know what is reasonable and requires an understanding of the basics of principled negotiation. For example, it is important to know about positions vs. interests and what a BATNA/WATNA are. Beyond that, you need to stay proactive to ensure you are getting regular salary increases commensurate with norms in the field. Those increases are largely contingent on performance so excelling at the job then becomes the key to ongoing financial success. Making yourself an indispensable and irreplaceable asset to the employer is also very important.
What Public Relations Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Yao Sun: On a day-to-day basis, a Communication Specialist takes care of any work relevant to human interaction. This area of knowledge can be applied to a wide variety of jobs. For example, in an IT company, you can find a Communication Specialist in the marketing department for promoting the product, or in the product management department responsible for team building and knowledge integration.
Wendy Weinhold Ph.D.
Associate Professor of JournalismCoastal Carolina University
Communication And Media Studies
What Public Relations Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Wendy Weinhold Ph.D.: Curiosity is the most importantly thing when it comes to skill building. Your college classes have you a solid foundation, but there is always more to learn. Seek out mentors who will help you understand your strengths and weaknesses, and be open to opportunities that help you grow.
What general advice would you give to a Public Relations Assistant?
Dr. Mikhila Wildey PhD: Maximizing salary potential often has to do with knowing your worth. It is important for individuals to do some research on what similar positions in the field are being paid in order to understand what an acceptable salary range may be for a particular position. In order to argue for an offer to be on the higher end of a typical salary range and maximize earning potential, it is important to vocalize your skills and assets within interviews and in your application materials. Individuals will need to self-advocate to show why they should earn a higher salary. It can be helpful to write out their skills and assets on paper first and rehearse saying them out loud to feel more comfortable and confident within an interview.
What Public Relations Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Mikhila Wildey PhD: I think the ability to engage and connect with people will be very important in the field as we shift more and more to a culture that is driven by AI. Although AI can be a useful tool, it likely won’t ever fully replace the value of human interaction and connection. In addition, employers often comment that they want to see employees with strong work ethic, and I think this will continue to be the case in 3-5 years. Having a strong work ethic can separate the people that move forward in their careers to those who remain stagnant.
What will help Public Relations Assistants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Mikhila Wildey PhD: My general advice for a graduate beginning their career in the field is to work hard, stay open-minded, and network! Most employees won’t stay in the same position for their entire career, and so I often tell graduates to not get too hung up on the first job needing to be the 'perfect' job for them. Often, the first job will be a place where they learn how to navigate the workplace, learn about their own strengths/weaknesses, and figure out what they like and don’t like. I encourage graduates to use this information to help them make decisions about the next steps in their career. And, if they are working hard and networking with people at their job, then opportunities will often times present themselves or be more available to them as they navigate their future career path.
What Public Relations Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Veronica Hefner: Knowing how to brand yourself, both in person and online, is becoming increasingly important. If you're networking at an event, do you have short stories or anecdotes that you can share that help you come across as interesting? A story can tell a listener about your values, work ethics, drive, and competencies much better than you sharing a laundry list of your achievements. The same thing is true when branding yourself online. Another skill is the ability to communicate, even if that sounds simple. Are you able to write a professional email? Can you carry on an intelligent conversation with a potential client? Do you know when to stop talking and actively listen? Are you able to get your message across to diverse audiences? These skills are applicable no matter what job you do.
Ying Lu Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Kentucky
Hospitality Administration/Management
What general advice would you give to a Public Relations Assistant?
Ying Lu Ph.D.: Communication skills. This is a service industry and requires strong communication skills to coordinate various departments and interact with diverse customers. A strong communication make you stand out in the team and make your job easier.
What Public Relations Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ying Lu Ph.D.: Introducing and instructing customers on how to use various tech equipment to have a better consumption experience.
What general advice would you give to a Public Relations Assistant?
Kenn Gaither Ph.D.: Adopt a growth mindset and keep learning. The skills from college are still valuable and useful, but so too is the ability to stay at the forefront of relevant trends. Public relations practitioners are strategic communicators, requiring disciplinary expertise, knowledge of cultural and technological trends and news, and a broad skill set. Continuing to invest in these areas will give a new graduate both a competitive edge and pathway for upward mobility.
What will help Public Relations Assistants increase their earning potential?
Kenn Gaither Ph.D.: Focus on your skills honed by coursework, internships or involvement in student media organizations. Although you might not have significant full-time experience yet, offer your skill set as salary negotiation lever. Also, know your worth. If you receive an offer, consult with a mentor or career advisor to discuss strategies to maximize your salary potential and know a good starting point. Finally, ask about opportunities for promotion and timelines. Sometimes it can pay off to take slightly less than anticipated if there is a clear path toward salary increases or the company has a track-record of rapidly advancing entry-level employees.
Bonnye Stuart
Internship Coordinator, Speech Communication Coordinator, Study Abroad Adviser, Integrated Marketing Communication InstructorWinthrop University
Public Relations, Advertising, And Applied Communication
What general advice would you give to a Public Relations Assistant?
Bonnye Stuart: First of all – have an e-portfolio of your work to show what you can do! Share that during the interview. Build trust with your employer during the interview stage that you have the skills and can-do attitude necessary to be an asset to his/her company! Be willing to go the extra mile, take on extra tasks, work long and hard on projects – all without asking if you will be paid extra for doing this!
What will help Public Relations Assistants increase their earning potential?
Bonnye Stuart: I would say be flexible - you may be asked to do a variety of tasks. Some tasks you may feel comfortable doing, others you may feel you don't have the experience to tackle. Be confident in your abilities – you probably know more than you think you do – especially in the areas of technology and social media. Above all, be a sponge – soak up all everything you can from soft, people skills to specific industry knowledge. You can learn from every experience in the workplace (even mundane meetings can yield much information about the culture of the company or organization and who's voice is heard and valued). There is much to learn as you begin your career, even if your first position is not your 'dream job'!
What general advice would you give to a Public Relations Assistant?
Zack Stiegler Ph.D.: Students who have competency across multiple media technologies will become more valuable. Having a broader skill set offers flexibility to employers and is attractive in terms of efficiency.
What general advice would you give to a Public Relations Assistant?
Dr. Charles St-Georges Ph.D.: Be sure to communicate to potential employers all the skills you've acquired besides just 'speaking the language.' For example, your study of language and culture has helped you develop strong communication skills in both speaking and writing, and your intercultural competence has enabled you to engage with and learn from diverse populations in positive, productive ways. Your analytical skills are well developed after several years interpreting texts and cultural production across a variety of contexts and in comparison with your own language and culture. You already have significant experience adapting to new systems and learning to function and communicate quickly and effectively within them. Language majors are also uniquely aware of how cross-cultural communication needs to work if it is to happen successfully in an increasingly globalized world, regardless of the language of communication. Take the time to reflect on all the skills you've developed as a language major so you're ready to articulate them and advocate for yourself in a job interview.
What will help Public Relations Assistants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Charles St-Georges Ph.D.: Advocate for yourself by clearly articulating all the skills and knowledge your language degree brings with it. This is something that is often underestimated and undervalued as a pay differential conceived of strictly in terms of language competency. Let your employer know everything else your language competency brings to the table.
What Public Relations Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Rochelle Daniel: My general advice to a graduate who transitions into that first professional job in the Communication field is similar to advice I give Communication students for navigating internship workspaces (Communications Internship Handbook: What HBCU Students Need to Know, 2022). Be intentional about learning the organizational or office culture, really listen to find out what is expected of you, be flexible and adaptable when there are changes in workflow, and don't be afraid to ask questions.
Dr. Rebecca Frazer
Assistant Professor of Public RelationsUniversity of Florida
Public Relations, Advertising, And Applied Communication
What Public Relations Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Rebecca Frazer: The ability to harness new technologies without becoming distracted from key goals will drive success in the future of the field. With the explosion of artificial intelligence technologies and the proliferation of new social media platforms in recent years, some practitioners may be struggling to keep up. The most successful practitioners will work to understand new technologies and strategically harness their power, while also staying focused on the fundamental role of public relations: building strong, genuine, mutually-beneficial relationships with key publics.
What will help Public Relations Assistants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Rebecca Frazer: Be eager, flexible, and willing to learn. Entry-level PR positions often involve a broad range of different tasks that may require the employee to quickly teach themselves new skills, software, and applications. Demonstrating an ability to catch on quickly and an eagerness to take on new challenges goes a long way in impressing an employer.