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Best states for a public relations officer
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Sakilé Camara Ph.D.
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Do you want to become a public relations officer at Phi Theta Kappa, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for public relations officers that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Our research shows that Rhode Island is the best state in the country for public relations officers.
We figured that the best places for public relations officer jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.If you are currently seeking employment as a public relations officer, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for public relations officers in 2026
1. Rhode Island
Total public relations officer jobs: 250 Average annual salary: $40,216 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 1.54
2. New Jersey
Total public relations officer jobs: 1,282 Average annual salary: $41,143 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
3. Washington
Total public relations officer jobs: 916 Average annual salary: $46,209 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
4. California
Total public relations officer jobs: 5,329 Average annual salary: $40,577 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
5. North Dakota
Total public relations officer jobs: 162 Average annual salary: $36,983 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.3
6. Connecticut
Total public relations officer jobs: 419 Average annual salary: $44,406 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
7. Oregon
Total public relations officer jobs: 582 Average annual salary: $41,815 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
8. New York
Total public relations officer jobs: 2,233 Average annual salary: $40,036 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location Quotient: 1.3
9. Idaho
Total public relations officer jobs: 388 Average annual salary: $36,111 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 1.77
10. Massachusetts
Total public relations officer jobs: 1,461 Average annual salary: $38,776 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.19
Public relations officer jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a public relations officer
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a public relations officer
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $40,216 | $28,000 | 1,059,639 | 250 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $41,143 | $28,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,282 |
| 3 | Washington | $46,209 | $32,000 | 7,405,743 | 916 |
| 4 | California | $40,577 | $29,000 | 39,536,653 | 5,329 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $36,983 | $26,000 | 755,393 | 162 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $44,406 | $30,000 | 3,588,184 | 419 |
| 7 | Oregon | $41,815 | $29,000 | 4,142,776 | 582 |
| 8 | New York | $40,036 | $27,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,233 |
| 9 | Idaho | $36,111 | $25,000 | 1,716,943 | 388 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $38,776 | $27,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,461 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $38,406 | $27,000 | 1,342,795 | 250 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $42,421 | $30,000 | 693,972 | 215 |
| 13 | Vermont | $34,811 | $24,000 | 623,657 | 144 |
| 14 | Alaska | $42,709 | $32,000 | 739,795 | 47 |
| 15 | Maryland | $38,474 | $27,000 | 6,052,177 | 994 |
| 16 | Nevada | $31,963 | $23,000 | 2,998,039 | 406 |
| 17 | Michigan | $35,813 | $25,000 | 9,962,311 | 966 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $33,513 | $23,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,622 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $32,386 | $23,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,140 |
| 20 | Arkansas | $33,638 | $25,000 | 3,004,279 | 328 |
| 21 | Colorado | $33,941 | $25,000 | 5,607,154 | 873 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $31,844 | $23,000 | 1,815,857 | 197 |
| 23 | Arizona | $31,243 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 960 |
| 24 | Ohio | $32,544 | $23,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,159 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $31,057 | $23,000 | 6,715,984 | 810 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $29,843 | $21,000 | 869,666 | 169 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $31,465 | $23,000 | 4,454,189 | 413 |
| 28 | Virginia | $34,871 | $25,000 | 8,470,020 | 335 |
| 29 | Maine | $29,502 | $21,000 | 1,335,907 | 222 |
| 30 | Delaware | $33,574 | $23,000 | 961,939 | 77 |
| 31 | Illinois | $31,140 | $22,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,723 |
| 32 | Utah | $31,761 | $23,000 | 3,101,833 | 136 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $30,998 | $22,000 | 579,315 | 46 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $29,779 | $21,000 | 5,795,483 | 692 |
| 35 | Iowa | $29,124 | $21,000 | 3,145,711 | 474 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $34,926 | $28,000 | 1,427,538 | 33 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $28,424 | $21,000 | 5,024,369 | 605 |
| 38 | Indiana | $29,520 | $21,000 | 6,666,818 | 792 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $27,769 | $20,000 | 1,920,076 | 315 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $26,902 | $20,000 | 3,930,864 | 456 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $27,359 | $20,000 | 2,088,070 | 290 |
| 42 | Texas | $28,158 | $20,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,485 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $26,824 | $19,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,419 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $27,278 | $20,000 | 4,684,333 | 401 |
| 45 | Alabama | $26,921 | $20,000 | 4,874,747 | 551 |
| 46 | Missouri | $27,648 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 698 |
| 47 | Montana | $28,140 | $20,000 | 1,050,493 | 69 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $24,535 | $18,000 | 2,984,100 | 335 |
| 49 | Georgia | $26,109 | $19,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,489 |
| 50 | Florida | $28,119 | $20,000 | 20,984,400 | 518 |
| 51 | Kansas | $26,423 | $19,000 | 2,913,123 | 327 |
Highest paying states for public relations officers
| Rank | State | Avg. Public Relations Officer Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $40,216 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $41,143 |
| 3 | Washington | $46,209 |
| 4 | California | $40,577 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $36,983 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $44,406 |
| 7 | Oregon | $41,815 |
| 8 | New York | $40,036 |
| 9 | Idaho | $36,111 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $38,776 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $38,406 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $42,421 |
| 13 | Vermont | $34,811 |
| 14 | Alaska | $42,709 |
| 15 | Maryland | $38,474 |
| 16 | Nevada | $31,963 |
| 17 | Michigan | $35,813 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $33,513 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $32,386 |
| 20 | Arkansas | $33,638 |
| 21 | Colorado | $33,941 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $31,844 |
| 23 | Arizona | $31,243 |
| 24 | Ohio | $32,544 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $31,057 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $29,843 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $31,465 |
| 28 | Virginia | $34,871 |
| 29 | Maine | $29,502 |
| 30 | Delaware | $33,574 |
| 31 | Illinois | $31,140 |
| 32 | Utah | $31,761 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $30,998 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $29,779 |
| 35 | Iowa | $29,124 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $34,926 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $28,424 |
| 38 | Indiana | $29,520 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $27,769 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $26,902 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $27,359 |
| 42 | Texas | $28,158 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $26,824 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $27,278 |
| 45 | Alabama | $26,921 |
| 46 | Missouri | $27,648 |
| 47 | Montana | $28,140 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $24,535 |
| 49 | Georgia | $26,109 |
| 50 | Florida | $28,119 |
| 51 | Kansas | $26,423 |
Expert opinions on the best states for public relations officers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for public relations officers to find work opportunities?
Sakilé Camara Ph.D.
Professor, California State University
What is a good place? Geographically, every place on earth has been impacted; every organization has made changes to its infrastructure or have closed their doors for business. The question is not "What good places can graduates find work in the field?" Every place is a good place. The question should be, "How do graduates reinvent themselves to fit into what might become the new normal?" The answer lies with the student.
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Updated January 8, 2025