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A Publication Specialist typically earns an average salary of $55,554 annually, with variations depending on factors such as experience, geographical location, and specific industry sectors. For instance, specialists in major cities or those with advanced skills may command higher salaries. Additionally, the salary can increase with years of experience and expertise in niche areas.
Across the United States, states like California and New York offer competitive pay, often exceeding the national average. In major metropolitan areas, such as San Francisco and New York City, salaries may reach upwards of $70,000 per year. On the other hand, smaller cities may reflect lower averages.
To further enhance earning potential, pursuing certifications or specialized training can play a significant role. Professionals who continuously update their skills tend to experience greater career advancement opportunities. As the demand for skilled publication specialists grows, exploring diverse roles in editorial management, content strategy, or digital publishing can lead to lucrative positions.
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The highest-paying states for publication specialists are Washington, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. The lowest average publication specialist salary states are Alabama, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $81,626 | $39.24 |
| 2 | North Carolina | $61,189 | $29.42 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $63,923 | $30.73 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $68,350 | $32.86 |
| 5 | Washington | $75,212 | $36.16 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $59,001 | $28.37 |
| 7 | Oregon | $61,847 | $29.73 |
| 8 | Ohio | $66,159 | $31.81 |
| 9 | Virginia | $60,678 | $29.17 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $70,172 | $33.74 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $67,773 | $32.58 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $62,539 | $30.07 |
| 13 | Maryland | $61,754 | $29.69 |
| 14 | Illinois | $62,864 | $30.22 |
| 15 | Delaware | $57,739 | $27.76 |
| 16 | Arizona | $57,138 | $27.47 |
| 17 | Arkansas | $55,955 | $26.90 |
| 18 | Alaska | $59,861 | $28.78 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $56,301 | $27.07 |
| 20 | New York | $58,711 | $28.23 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $50,714 | $24.38 |
| 22 | Vermont | $53,755 | $25.84 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $59,418 | $28.57 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $50,717 | $24.38 |
| 25 | Michigan | $54,184 | $26.05 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $49,250 | $23.68 |
| 27 | California | $63,380 | $30.47 |
| 28 | Idaho | $54,879 | $26.38 |
| 29 | Nevada | $51,080 | $24.56 |
| 30 | Iowa | $48,836 | $23.48 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $50,834 | $24.44 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $54,038 | $25.98 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $52,074 | $25.04 |
| 34 | Utah | $47,227 | $22.71 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $48,585 | $23.36 |
| 36 | Indiana | $50,797 | $24.42 |
| 37 | Colorado | $51,719 | $24.86 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $49,356 | $23.73 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $45,979 | $22.11 |
| 40 | Georgia | $46,616 | $22.41 |
| 41 | Texas | $45,681 | $21.96 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $48,106 | $23.13 |
| 43 | Montana | $46,489 | $22.35 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $44,613 | $21.45 |
| 45 | Alabama | $44,732 | $21.51 |
| 46 | Florida | $37,478 | $18.02 |
| 47 | Kansas | $44,198 | $21.25 |
| 48 | Missouri | $46,782 | $22.49 |
| 49 | Maine | $45,792 | $22.02 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $42,494 | $20.43 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $40,418 | $19.43 |
The highest-paying cities for publication specialists are Washington, DC, Seattle, WA, and Malden, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $81,691 | $39.27 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $75,490 | $36.29 |
| 3 | Malden, MA | $68,340 | $32.86 |
| 4 | San Rafael, CA | $67,437 | $32.42 |
| 5 | Durham, NC | $62,720 | $30.15 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $61,923 | $29.77 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $61,841 | $29.73 |
| 8 | Arlington, VA | $61,669 | $29.65 |
| 9 | Anchorage, AK | $59,642 | $28.67 |
| 10 | New York, NY | $58,885 | $28.31 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $57,423 | $27.61 |
| 12 | Albuquerque, NM | $52,177 | $25.09 |
| 13 | Indianapolis, IN | $50,577 | $24.32 |
| 14 | Minneapolis, MN | $49,336 | $23.72 |
| 15 | Oak Creek, WI | $48,122 | $23.14 |
| 16 | Saint Louis, MO | $47,007 | $22.60 |
| 17 | Bozeman, MT | $46,030 | $22.13 |
| 18 | Austin, TX | $45,923 | $22.08 |
| 19 | New Orleans, LA | $45,851 | $22.04 |
| 20 | Oklahoma City, OK | $44,554 | $21.42 |
A publication specialist's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $84,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $84,000 | $7,000 | $40 |
| 75th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
| Average | $55,554 | $4,630 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
The highest paying types of publication specialists are communications consultant, senior communications specialist, and public affairs specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Media Coordinator | $47,471 | $3,956 | $22.82 | 35,285 |
| Account Coordinator | $39,973 | $3,331 | $19.22 | 93,480 |
| Digital Media Internship | $32,033 | $2,669 | $15.40 | 72,449 |
| Social Media Internship | $31,145 | $2,595 | $14.97 | 79,411 |
| Communications Internship | $33,458 | $2,788 | $16.09 | 62,641 |
| Communications Consultant | $91,455 | $7,621 | $43.97 | 29,942 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for publication specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Peter Bicak Ph.D.
Professor of Communication, Rockhurst University
Top companies hiring publication specialists now:
Publication specialist salaries at Meta and Autodesk are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average publication specialist salary at companies like Western Area Power Administration and Amazon are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | $121,372 | $58.35 |
| 2 | Autodesk | $97,455 | $46.85 |
| 3 | Western Area Power Administration | $94,168 | $45.27 |
| 4 | Amazon | $91,535 | $44.01 |
| 5 | UiPath | $90,186 | $43.36 |
| 6 | Bonneville Power Administration | $89,006 | $42.79 |
| 7 | Valero Energy | $86,684 | $41.67 |
| 8 | City of Jacksonville | $79,019 | $37.99 |
| 9 | AECOM | $74,958 | $36.04 |
| 10 | Jet Propulsion Laboratory | $74,531 | $35.83 |
| 11 | Burns & McDonnell | $74,407 | $35.77 |
| 12 | Accenture | $73,174 | $35.18 |
| 13 | Kimley-Horn | $70,079 | $33.69 |
| 14 | David Evans and Associates | $70,056 | $33.68 |
| 15 | HNTB | $70,017 | $33.66 |
| 16 | Xerox State Healthcare LLC | $68,055 | $32.72 |
| 17 | Wsp USA Buildings Inc. | $67,298 | $32.35 |
| 18 | TalentBurst | $66,119 | $31.79 |
| 19 | Bank of America | $65,259 | $31.37 |
| 20 | King County | $64,343 | $30.93 |
The average publication specialist salary has risen by $8,509 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average publication specialist earned $47,045 annually, but today, they earn $55,554 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for publication specialists over the last decade.
Compare publication specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare publication specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $55,600 | $26.71 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $54,100 | $26.00 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $53,100 | $25.51 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $52,400 | $25.22 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $51,300 | $24.67 | +2.2% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Burlington, Vt | NPA Public Engagement Specialist | Ontario, CA | 06/28/2025 | $56,349 |
| Cognizant | Cloud Partner Specialist-Public Sector | Washington, DC | 06/24/2025 | $65,219 |
| Cognizant Technology Solutions | Cloud Partner Specialist-Public Sector | Austin, TX | 06/22/2025 | $65,219 |
| Cognizant | Cloud Partner Specialist-Public Sector | Boise, ID | 06/19/2025 | $65,219 |
| Cognizant | Cloud Partner Specialist-Public Sector | Providence, RI | 06/19/2025 | $65,219 |
| Cognizant | Cloud Partner Specialist-Public Sector | Topeka, KS | 06/19/2025 | $65,219 |
| Cognizant | Cloud Partner Specialist-Public Sector | Boston, MA | 06/19/2025 | $65,219 |
| Cognizant | Cloud Partner Specialist-Public Sector | Tallahassee, FL | 06/19/2025 | $65,219 |
| Cognizant | Cloud Partner Specialist-Public Sector | Nashville, TN | 06/19/2025 | $65,219 |
| Cognizant | Cloud Partner Specialist-Public Sector | Hartford, CT | 06/19/2025 | $65,219 |
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