Public relations officer demographics and statistics in the US
Public relations officer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates public relations officer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our public relations officer 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 officers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 47,975 public relations officers currently employed in the United States.
- 58.9% of all public relations officers are women, while 41.1% are men.
- The average public relations officer age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of public relations officers is White (66.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.2%), Black or African American (10.3%) and Asian (5.3%).
- Public relations officers are most in-demand in San Francisco, CA.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $43,647, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women public relations officers earned 97% of what men earned.
- Rhode Island is the best state for public relations officers to live.
- Public relations officers are 38% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Public relations officer demographics by:
Public relations officer gender statistics
58.9% of public relations officers are women and 41.1% of public relations officers are men.
- Female, 58.9%
- Male, 41.1%
Public relations officer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 58.9% |
| Male | 41.1% |
Public relations officer gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$33,479
Female income
$32,419
Public relations officer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in public relations officer positions over time. Currently, 58.9% of public relations officers are female.
Public relations officer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 43.38% | 56.62% |
| 2011 | 46.71% | 53.29% |
| 2012 | 44.31% | 55.69% |
| 2013 | 49.10% | 50.90% |
| 2014 | 44.57% | 55.43% |
| 2015 | 41.36% | 58.64% |
| 2016 | 41.89% | 58.11% |
| 2017 | 46.63% | 53.37% |
| 2018 | 43.85% | 56.15% |
| 2019 | 44.52% | 55.48% |
| 2020 | 43.09% | 56.91% |
| 2021 | 41.10% | 58.90% |
Public relations officer related jobs gender ratio
We compared public relations officers 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 Officer | 41% | 59% |
| 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 officer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among public relations officers is White, which makes up 66.4% of all public relations officers. Comparatively, 12.2% of public relations officers are Hispanic or Latino and 10.3% of public relations officers are Black or African American.
- White, 66.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.2%
- Black or African American, 10.3%
- Asian, 5.3%
- Unknown, 5.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Public relations officer race
| Public relations officer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 66.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.2% |
| Black or African American | 10.3% |
| Asian | 5.3% |
| Unknown | 5.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Public relations officer race and ethnicity over time
See how public relations officer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Public relations officer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.56% | 9.73% | 4.33% | 9.30% |
| 2011 | 73.80% | 9.89% | 4.44% | 9.06% |
| 2012 | 73.82% | 9.28% | 3.97% | 9.61% |
| 2013 | 72.62% | 10.50% | 4.44% | 9.58% |
| 2014 | 73.13% | 10.46% | 3.48% | 9.80% |
| 2015 | 72.20% | 9.42% | 5.44% | 10.58% |
| 2016 | 71.57% | 9.72% | 5.23% | 10.11% |
| 2017 | 73.19% | 9.81% | 4.16% | 10.63% |
| 2018 | 70.82% | 8.81% | 5.17% | 11.40% |
| 2019 | 72.56% | 8.97% | 4.65% | 10.78% |
| 2020 | 67.05% | 9.81% | 4.60% | 14.71% |
| 2021 | 66.39% | 10.34% | 5.34% | 12.21% |
Public relations officer wage gap by race
According to our data, white public relations officers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino public relations officers have the lowest average salary at $32,578.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $34,397 |
| White | $34,546 |
| Black or African American | $32,605 |
| Asian | $33,324 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $32,578 |
Average public relations officer age
See how the average age of public relations officers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Public relations officer 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 officer age breakdown
The average age of public relations officers is 40+ years years old, representing 53% of the public relations officer population.
Public relations officer age breakdown
| Public Relations Officer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 53% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Public relations officer educational attainment
The most common degree for public relations officers is bachelor's degree, with 70% of public relations officers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 70%
- Master's, 11%
- Associate, 8%
- Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Public relations officers by degree level
| Public relations officer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 70% |
| Master's | 11% |
| Associate | 8% |
| Diploma | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Public relations officer jobs you might like
Public relations officer wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $35,578 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,886 |
Public relations officer employment statistics
Most public relations officers work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where public relations officers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where public relations officers work.
Public relations officer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 21% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 15% |
Public relations officer jobs by company type
Employees with the public relations officer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most public relations officers prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Public relations officer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 38% |
| Public | 11% |
| Private | 38% |
| Government | 13% |
Public relations officer jobs by industry
The most common industries for public relations officers are education, non profits and government.
Public relations officer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 28% |
| Non Profits | 16% |
| Government | 8% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Health Care | 6% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Public relations officer turnover and employment statistics
Public relations officer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for public relations officers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Public relations officer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Public relations officer 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 officer tenure
The average public relations officer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,612 public relations officers resumes in Zippia's database.
Public relations officer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 27% |
| 1-2 years | 43% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Public relations officer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of public relations officers 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Book Critic | 10.10% | 143 |
| Radio Commentator | 10.34% | 2,174 |
| Public Relations Officer | 12.01% | - |
| Script Editor | 12.38% | 4,485 |
| Lexicographer | 14.90% | 544 |
| Advertising Copy Writer | 16.36% | 14,320 |
| Ringmaster | 16.36% | 66 |
Similar public relations officer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Book Critic | 10.10% | 143 |
| Radio Commentator | 10.34% | 2,174 |
| Script Editor | 12.38% | 4,485 |
| Lexicographer | 14.90% | 544 |
| Advertising Copy Writer | 16.36% | 14,320 |
| Ringmaster | 16.36% | 66 |
Foreign languages spoken by public relations officers
The most common foreign language among public relations officers is Spanish at 33.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 13.3% and Mandarin is the third-most popular at 8.0%.
- Spanish, 33.5%
- French, 13.3%
- Mandarin, 8.0%
- Chinese, 7.7%
- Arabic, 7.5%
- Other, 30.0%
Public relations officer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 33.5% |
| French | 13.3% |
| Mandarin | 8.0% |
| Chinese | 7.7% |
| Arabic | 7.5% |
| Other | 30.0% |
