Public relations specialist demographics and statistics in the US
Public relations specialist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates public relations specialist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our public relations specialist 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 specialists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 22,122 public relations specialists currently employed in the United States.
- 69.7% of all public relations specialists are women, while 30.3% are men.
- The average public relations specialist age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of public relations specialists is White (66.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.2%), Black or African American (10.3%) and Asian (5.3%).
- Public relations specialists are most in-demand in Washington, DC.
- The finance industry is the highest-paying for public relations specialists.
- Seattle, WA pays an annual average wage of $68,689, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women public relations specialists earned 96% of what men earned.
- 12% of all public relations specialists are LGBT.
- Oregon is the best state for public relations specialists to live.
- Public relations specialists are 66% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Public relations specialist demographics by:
Public relations specialist gender statistics
69.7% of public relations specialists are women and 30.3% of public relations specialists are men.
- Female, 69.7%
- Male, 30.3%
Public relations specialist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 69.7% |
| Male | 30.3% |
Public relations specialist gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$47,800
Female income
$45,754
Public relations specialist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in public relations specialist positions over time. Currently, 69.7% of public relations specialists are female.
Public relations specialist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 32.34% | 67.66% |
| 2011 | 35.34% | 64.66% |
| 2012 | 33.16% | 66.84% |
| 2013 | 37.57% | 62.43% |
| 2014 | 33.40% | 66.60% |
| 2015 | 30.54% | 69.46% |
| 2016 | 31.01% | 68.99% |
| 2017 | 35.27% | 64.73% |
| 2018 | 32.75% | 67.25% |
| 2019 | 33.35% | 66.65% |
| 2020 | 32.07% | 67.93% |
| 2021 | 30.32% | 69.68% |
Public relations specialist related jobs gender ratio
We compared public relations specialists 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 Specialist | 30% | 70% |
| 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 specialist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among public relations specialists is White, which makes up 66.4% of all public relations specialists. Comparatively, 12.2% of public relations specialists are Hispanic or Latino and 10.3% of public relations specialists 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 specialist race
| Public relations specialist 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 specialist race and ethnicity over time
See how public relations specialist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Public relations specialist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.60% | 9.71% | 4.33% | 9.28% |
| 2011 | 73.84% | 9.87% | 4.44% | 9.04% |
| 2012 | 73.87% | 9.26% | 3.96% | 9.59% |
| 2013 | 72.66% | 10.48% | 4.43% | 9.56% |
| 2014 | 73.18% | 10.44% | 3.48% | 9.78% |
| 2015 | 72.24% | 9.40% | 5.43% | 10.56% |
| 2016 | 71.61% | 9.70% | 5.23% | 10.09% |
| 2017 | 73.23% | 9.79% | 4.16% | 10.61% |
| 2018 | 70.86% | 8.79% | 5.17% | 11.38% |
| 2019 | 72.61% | 8.95% | 4.65% | 10.76% |
| 2020 | 67.09% | 9.79% | 4.60% | 14.69% |
| 2021 | 66.44% | 10.33% | 5.34% | 12.19% |
Public relations specialist wage gap by race
According to our data, white public relations specialists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino public relations specialists have the lowest average salary at $46,059.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $49,590 |
| White | $49,882 |
| Black or African American | $46,112 |
| Asian | $47,499 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $46,059 |
Average public relations specialist age
See how the average age of public relations specialists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Public relations specialist 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 specialist age breakdown
The average age of public relations specialists is 40+ years years old, representing 53% of the public relations specialist population.
Public relations specialist age breakdown
| Public Relations Specialist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 53% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Public relations specialist educational attainment
The most common degree for public relations specialists is bachelor's degree, with 81% of public relations specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 10% and master's degree degree at 6%.
- Bachelor's, 81%
- Master's, 10%
- Associate, 6%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Public relations specialists by degree level
| Public relations specialist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 81% |
| Master's | 10% |
| Associate | 6% |
| High School Diploma | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Public relations specialist jobs you might like
Public relations specialist wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $51,919 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $48,591 |
Public relations specialist employment statistics
Most public relations specialists work for a private in the technology industry.
Company size where public relations specialists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where public relations specialists work.
Public relations specialist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 27% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 13% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 20% |
Public relations specialist jobs by company type
Employees with the public relations specialist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most public relations specialists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Public relations specialist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 12% |
| Public | 15% |
| Private | 66% |
| Government | 6% |
Public relations specialist jobs by industry
The most common industries for public relations specialists are technology, professional and education.
Public relations specialist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Technology | 11% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Education | 9% |
| Health Care | 8% |
| Media | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Non Profits | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Retail | 6% |
| Government | 5% |
| Start-up | 5% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Public relations specialist turnover and employment statistics
Public relations specialist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for public relations specialists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Public relations specialist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Public relations specialist 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 specialist tenure
The average public relations specialist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 6,071 public relations specialists resumes in Zippia's database.
Public relations specialist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 22% |
| 1-2 years | 37% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Public relations specialist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of public relations specialists 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Journalist Internship | 10.10% | 55,151 |
| Talk Show Host | 10.34% | 10,048 |
| Public Relations Specialist | 12.01% | - |
| Science Editor | 12.38% | 9,103 |
| Arabic Linguist | 14.90% | 742 |
| Program Writer | 16.36% | 67,545 |
| Mobile Disc Jockey | 16.36% | 5,576 |
Similar public relations specialist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Journalist Internship | 10.10% | 55,151 |
| Talk Show Host | 10.34% | 10,048 |
| Science Editor | 12.38% | 9,103 |
| Arabic Linguist | 14.90% | 742 |
| Program Writer | 16.36% | 67,545 |
| Mobile Disc Jockey | 16.36% | 5,576 |
Foreign languages spoken by public relations specialists
The most common foreign language among public relations specialists is Spanish at 42.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 13.8% and Mandarin is the third-most popular at 7.1%.
- Spanish, 42.2%
- French, 13.8%
- Mandarin, 7.1%
- Chinese, 6.2%
- Italian, 4.9%
- Other, 25.8%
Public relations specialist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 42.2% |
| French | 13.8% |
| Mandarin | 7.1% |
| Chinese | 6.2% |
| Italian | 4.9% |
| Other | 25.8% |
