Public relations demographics and statistics in the US
Public relations demographics research summary. Zippia estimates public relations demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our public relations estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about public relations after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 49,296 public relations currently employed in the United States.
- 63.9% of all public relations are women, while 36.1% are men.
- The average public relations age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of public relations is White (67.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (11.9%), Black or African American (10.0%) and Asian (5.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 12% of all public relations are LGBT.
- Public relations are 49% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Public relations demographics by:
Public relations gender statistics
63.9% of public relations are women and 36.1% of public relations are men.
- Female, 63.9%
- Male, 36.1%
Public relations gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 63.9% |
| Male | 36.1% |
Public relations gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$48,003
Female income
$45,617
Public relations gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in public relations positions over time. Currently, 63.9% of public relations are female.
Public relations gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 38.31% | 61.69% |
| 2011 | 41.53% | 58.47% |
| 2012 | 39.20% | 60.80% |
| 2013 | 43.88% | 56.12% |
| 2014 | 39.46% | 60.54% |
| 2015 | 36.36% | 63.64% |
| 2016 | 36.87% | 63.13% |
| 2017 | 41.45% | 58.55% |
| 2018 | 38.75% | 61.25% |
| 2019 | 39.40% | 60.60% |
| 2020 | 38.03% | 61.97% |
| 2021 | 36.12% | 63.88% |
Public relations related jobs gender ratio
We compared public relations with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public address announcer and track announcer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Paraprofessional Interpreter | 12% | 88% |
| Deaf Interpreter | 15% | 85% |
| Fashion Journalist | 15% | 85% |
| Public Relations | 36% | 64% |
| Sports Announcer | 91% | 9% |
| Track Announcer | 92% | 8% |
| Public Address Announcer | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Public relations demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among public relations is White, which makes up 67.0% of all public relations. Comparatively, 11.9% of public relations are Hispanic or Latino and 10.0% of public relations are Black or African American.
- White, 67.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 11.9%
- Black or African American, 10.0%
- Asian, 5.3%
- Unknown, 5.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Public relations race
| Public relations race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.9% |
| Black or African American | 10.0% |
| Asian | 5.3% |
| Unknown | 5.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Public relations race and ethnicity over time
See how public relations racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Public relations race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 75.21% | 9.43% | 4.28% | 9.03% |
| 2011 | 74.44% | 9.59% | 4.40% | 8.79% |
| 2012 | 74.47% | 8.98% | 3.92% | 9.34% |
| 2013 | 73.27% | 10.20% | 4.39% | 9.31% |
| 2014 | 73.78% | 10.16% | 3.43% | 9.53% |
| 2015 | 72.85% | 9.12% | 5.39% | 10.30% |
| 2016 | 72.22% | 9.42% | 5.18% | 9.84% |
| 2017 | 73.84% | 9.51% | 4.11% | 10.36% |
| 2018 | 71.47% | 8.51% | 5.12% | 11.13% |
| 2019 | 73.21% | 8.67% | 4.60% | 10.51% |
| 2020 | 67.70% | 9.51% | 4.55% | 14.44% |
| 2021 | 67.04% | 10.05% | 5.29% | 11.94% |
Public relations wage gap by race
According to our data, white public relations have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino public relations have the lowest average salary at $45,972.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $50,104 |
| White | $50,449 |
| Black or African American | $46,033 |
| Asian | $47,651 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $45,972 |
Average public relations age
See how the average age of public relations varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Public relations age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 47 | 35.5 |
| White | 43 | 40 |
| Black or African American | 49.5 | 45 |
| Asian | 36 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 36 |
Public relations age breakdown
The average age of public relations is 40+ years years old, representing 53% of the public relations population.
Public relations age breakdown
| Public Relations Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 53% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Public relations educational attainment
The most common degree for public relations is bachelor's degree, with 75% of public relations earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 9% and associate degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 75%
- Associate, 9%
- Master's, 8%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Public relations by degree level
| Public relations degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 75% |
| Associate | 9% |
| Master's | 8% |
| High School Diploma | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Public relations jobs you might like
Public relations wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $52,858 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $48,930 |
Public relations employment statistics
Most public relations work for a private in the education industry.
Company size where public relations work
Below, you can see the size of companies where public relations work.
Public relations jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 16% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 21% |
Public relations jobs by company type
Employees with the public relations job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most public relations prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Public relations jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 26% |
| Public | 20% |
| Private | 49% |
| Government | 5% |
Public relations jobs by industry
The most common industries for public relations are education, media and professional.
Public relations industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 21% |
| Media | 11% |
| Professional | 11% |
| Fortune 500 | 11% |
| Retail | 6% |
| Hospitality | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Non Profits | 5% |
| Government | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Public relations turnover and employment statistics
Public relations unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for public relations between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Public relations unemployment rate by year
| Year | Public relations unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.84% |
| 2011 | 5.89% |
| 2012 | 4.61% |
| 2013 | 4.57% |
| 2014 | 3.98% |
| 2015 | 3.27% |
| 2016 | 2.78% |
| 2017 | 2.36% |
| 2018 | 2.01% |
| 2019 | 3.01% |
| 2020 | 3.59% |
| 2021 | 3.67% |
Average public relations tenure
The average public relations stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 11,644 public relations resumes in Zippia's database.
Public relations tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 31% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
Public relations LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of public relations that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Multi Media Journalist | 10.10% | 16,646 |
| Radio Host | 10.34% | 12,568 |
| Public Relations | 12.01% | - |
| News Assistant | 12.38% | 7,130 |
| Translator | 14.90% | 1,206 |
| Chief Writer | 16.36% | 22,938 |
| Mobile Disc Jockey | 16.36% | 5,576 |
Similar public relations jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Multi Media Journalist | 10.10% | 16,646 |
| Radio Host | 10.34% | 12,568 |
| News Assistant | 12.38% | 7,130 |
| Translator | 14.90% | 1,206 |
| Chief Writer | 16.36% | 22,938 |
| Mobile Disc Jockey | 16.36% | 5,576 |
Foreign languages spoken by public relations
The most common foreign language among public relations is Spanish at 46.1%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 12.8% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 6.3%.
- Spanish, 46.1%
- French, 12.8%
- Chinese, 6.3%
- Italian, 5.7%
- Mandarin, 5.5%
- Other, 23.6%
Public relations languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 46.1% |
| French | 12.8% |
| Chinese | 6.3% |
| Italian | 5.7% |
| Mandarin | 5.5% |
| Other | 23.6% |
