Public Relations Demographics and Statistics In The US

Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for public relations in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • 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 age of an employed public relations 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 2021, 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.

Public Relations Statistics By Gender

63.9% of public relations are women and 36.1% of public relations are men.

  • Female, 63.9%
  • Male, 36.1%

Public Relations By Gender

GenderPercentages
Female63.9%
Male36.1%

Gender Pay Gap For Public Relations

Women Earn 95ยข For Every $1 Earned By Men

male-income
Male Income
$48,003
female-income
Female Income
$45,617

Public Relations Gender Over Time

This data shows how men and women predominate in the public relations position over time.

Male
Female
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

Public Relations Gender By Year

YearMaleFemale
201038.31%61.69%
201141.53%58.47%
201239.20%60.80%
201343.88%56.12%
201439.46%60.54%
201536.36%63.64%
201636.87%63.13%
201741.45%58.55%
201838.75%61.25%
201939.40%60.60%
202038.03%61.97%
202136.12%63.88%

Public Relations Male to Female Ratio

We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, public address announcer and track announcer have the biggest difference in gender.

Job TitleMaleFemale
Paraprofessional Interpreter12%88%
Deaf Interpreter15%85%
Fashion Journalist15%85%
Public Relations36%64%
Sports Announcer91%9%
Track Announcer92%8%
Public Address Announcer93%7%
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
Public Address Announcer

Track Announcer

Sports Announcer
Public Relations

Fashion Journalist

Deaf Interpreter
Paraprofessional Interpreter
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%

Public Relations Statistics By Race

The most common ethnicity among public relations is White, which makes up 67.0% of all public relations. Comparatively, there are 11.9% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 10.0% of the Black or African American ethnicity.

  • 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 RacePercentages
White67.0%
Hispanic or Latino11.9%
Black or African American10.0%
Asian5.3%
Unknown5.1%
American Indian and Alaska Native0.7%

Public Relations Race And Ethnicity Over Time

Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among public relations.

  • White
  • Asian
  • Hispanic or Latino
  • Black or African American

Public Relations Race By Year

YearWhiteBlack or African AmericanAsianHispanic or Latino
201075.21%9.43%4.28%9.03%
201174.44%9.59%4.40%8.79%
201274.47%8.98%3.92%9.34%
201373.27%10.20%4.39%9.31%
201473.78%10.16%3.43%9.53%
201572.85%9.12%5.39%10.30%
201672.22%9.42%5.18%9.84%
201773.84%9.51%4.11%10.36%
201871.47%8.51%5.12%11.13%
201973.21%8.67%4.60%10.51%
202067.70%9.51%4.55%14.44%
202167.04%10.05%5.29%11.94%

Public Relations Wage Gap By Race

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.
$51,000
$50,000
$49,000
$48,000
$47,000
$46,000
$45,000
Unknown
White
Black or African American
Asian
Hispanic or Latino
EthnicitySalary
Unknown$50,104
White$50,449
Black or African American$46,033
Asian$47,651
Hispanic or Latino$45,972

Browse Most In Demand Jobs

Public Relations JOBS

Average Age of a Public Relations

We determined the average age of public relations based on ethnicity and gender.

Male
Female

Public Relations Age By Race

RaceMale AgeFemale Age
Unknown4735.5
White4340
Black or African American49.545
Asian36
Hispanic or Latino3536

Public Relations Age Breakdown

This chart breaks down the ages of public relations employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of public relations is 40+ years old, which represents 53% of the population.

40+ years

30-40 years

20-30 years


Public Relations Age

Public Relations YearsPercentages
40+ years53%
30-40 years31%
20-30 years17%

Types of Public Relations Degree Levels

The most common degree for public relations is bachelor's degree 75% of public relations earn that degree. A close second is associate degree with 9% and rounding it off is master's degree with 8%.

  • Bachelors, 75%
  • Associate, 9%
  • Masters, 8%
  • High School Diploma, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 4%

Public Relations By Education

Public Relations DegreePercentages
Bachelors75%
Associate9%
Masters8%
High School Diploma4%
Other Degrees4%

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Public Relations Wage Gap By Education

$53,000
$52,000
$51,000
$50,000
$49,000
$48,000
Master's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
EducationSalary
Master's Degree$52,858
Bachelor's Degree$48,930

Public Relations Employment Statistics

This section highlights information about where public relations work. We found most public relations work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most public relations is the education industry.

Company Size

We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire public relations.

< 50 employees

50 - 100 employees

100 - 500 employees

500 - 1,000 employees

1,000 - 10,000 employees

> 10,000

Public Relations Jobs By Employer Size

Company SizePercentages
< 50 employees9%
50 - 100 employees16%
100 - 500 employees20%
500 - 1,000 employees9%
1,000 - 10,000 employees26%
> 10,000 employees21%

The Types Of Companies Public Relations Work In

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.

Education

Public

Private

Government

Public Relations Jobs By Sector

Company TypePercentages
Education26%
Public20%
Private49%
Government5%

Top Industries Hiring Public Relations

Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ public relations. Those industries include education, media and professional.

Education

Media

Professional

Fortune 500

Retail

Show More

Public Relations Turnover And Employment Statistics

Public Relations Unemployment Rate Over Time

The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of public relations changed.

  • Unemployment rate

Public Relations Unemployment Rate By Year

YearPublic Relations Unemployment Rate
20105.84%
20115.89%
20124.61%
20134.57%
20143.98%
20153.27%
20162.78%
20172.36%
20182.01%
20193.01%
20203.59%
20213.67%

The Average Number of Years That Public Relations Stay in a Job

By looking over 11,644 public relations resumes, we figured out that the average public relations enjoys staying at their job for Less than 1 year for a percentage of 31%.

Less than one year

1-2 years

3-4 years

5-7 years

8-10 years

11+ years

Public Relations Tenure

Number or YearsPercentages
Less than 1 year31%
1-2 years31%
3-4 years12%
5-7 years11%
8-10 years6%
11+ years9%

Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Public Relationss with Other Job Titles

After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to public relations.

Job TitleLGBTJob Openings
Multi Media Journalist10.10%16,646
Radio Host10.34%12,568
Public Relations12.01%-
News Assistant12.38%7,130
Translator14.90%1,206
Chief Writer16.36%22,938
Mobile Disc Jockey16.36%5,576

Public Relations LGBT Demographics

ProfessionPercentages of LGBT Job Openings
Multi Media Journalist10.10%16,646
Radio Host10.34%12,568
News Assistant12.38%7,130
Translator14.90%1,206
Chief Writer16.36%22,938
Mobile Disc Jockey16.36%5,576

Foreign Languages Spoken By Public Relationss

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 LanguagePercentages
Spanish46.1%
French12.8%
Chinese6.3%
Italian5.7%
Mandarin5.5%
Other23.6%

Public Relations Jobs

Recently Added Public Relations Jobs

Public Relations Heatmaps

Where Do Public Relations Earn The Most?

Public relations earn the most in Virginia, where the average public relations salary is $65,678. The map here shows where public relations earn the highest salaries in the U.S. The darker areas across the 50 states highlight the highest salaries.

Average Salary

Which State Has The Most Public Relations?

By looking through more than 11,644 resumes, we found that the most popular places for public relations are New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA.

Number of Public Relations

Number Of Public Relations Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California1,091$56,179
2New York544$57,467
3Texas507$42,985
4Florida449$39,492
5Virginia366$65,678
6Illinois349$46,187
7Georgia314$38,243
8Massachusetts308$55,148
9North Carolina280$46,519
10Pennsylvania260$49,128
11New Jersey241$57,450
12District of Columbia237$66,019
13Oregon203$55,903
14Washington189$64,219
15Michigan188$46,978
16Maryland182$52,164
17Minnesota181$49,248
18Ohio180$47,389
19Arizona156$47,066
20Colorado152$50,572
21South Carolina139$36,715
22Missouri127$44,575
23Utah113$50,267
24Tennessee108$44,564
25Indiana107$39,718
26Wisconsin89$49,839
27Connecticut88$57,810
28Oklahoma84$36,967
29Nevada68$54,445
30Alabama65$37,202
31Iowa62$42,212
32Louisiana62$36,188
33Rhode Island58$55,379
34Kentucky54$47,151
35Nebraska48$44,235
36Kansas42$41,078
37Montana39$43,441
38New Mexico38$49,318
39Maine37$42,495
40Idaho33$55,662
41Arkansas32$43,321
42Delaware31$53,082
43South Dakota31$41,876
44New Hampshire27$51,501
45Vermont26$43,111
46Alaska25$60,461
47West Virginia22$48,164
48Mississippi19$36,564
49Wyoming18$43,482
50Hawaii14$53,135
51North Dakota12$53,784

Public Relations Demographics FAQs

How Many Public Relations Are There In The Us?

There are over 49,296 Public Relations in the United States.

What Percentage Of Public Relations Are Black?

10.0% of Public Relations are Black or African American

What Race Are Most Public Relations?

Most a are White, with 67.0% of Public Relations belonging to this ethnicity. 11.9% of Public Relations are Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% of Public Relations are Black or African American, 5.3% of Public Relations are Asian, 5.1% of Public Relations are Unknown, and 0.7% of Public Relations are American Indian and Alaska Native

Are Public Relations Jobs Male - Dominated?

No, Public Relations jobs are not male - dominated. 63% of Public Relations are female, and 36% are male, so there are more female Public Relations than male Public Relations in the United States.

How Old Is The Average Public Relations?

The average Public Relations is 42 years old. 53% of Public Relations are 40+ years old or older, 31% are between the ages of 30-40 years, and 17% are between 20-30 years old
Have more questions? See all answers to common arts, entertainment, sports, and media questions.

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Updated September 9, 2022