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Public relations assistant salary
Average public relations assistant salary
$46,197
Understanding the Public Relations Assistant Salary
The average salary for a Public Relations Assistant stands at $46,197 annually, or about $22 per hour. This salary can vary significantly depending on factors such as location, industry, and experience. For instance, states like California and New York typically offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for PR professionals.
Salary Variations by State
In states like Washington and Massachusetts, salaries can exceed the national average, with top-paying locations reflecting a vibrant job market for public relations. Local industries, including tech and healthcare, also influence salary levels.
Opportunities for Growth
As a Public Relations Assistant, you may advance into more senior roles within the field, leading to increased earning potential. By gaining experience and developing skills in communication and strategic planning, you can position yourself for higher-paying jobs in public relations.
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Where can a Public Relations Assistant earn more?
Public relations assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average public relations assistant salary by state
The average public relations assistant salary in Washington, Alaska, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average public relations assistant salary states are Missouri, Alabama, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for public relations assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $56,774 | $27.30 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $50,278 | $24.17 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $55,768 | $26.81 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $49,316 | $23.71 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $52,188 | $25.09 |
| 6 | Idaho | $47,866 | $23.01 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $54,046 | $25.98 |
| 8 | Washington | $58,039 | $27.90 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $50,275 | $24.17 |
| 10 | Oregon | $48,608 | $23.37 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $47,446 | $22.81 |
| 12 | Virginia | $49,781 | $23.93 |
| 13 | Nevada | $47,032 | $22.61 |
| 14 | Maryland | $49,644 | $23.87 |
| 15 | Delaware | $46,454 | $22.33 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $48,728 | $23.43 |
| 17 | New York | $47,320 | $22.75 |
| 18 | Texas | $47,336 | $22.76 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $49,772 | $23.93 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $46,952 | $22.57 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $42,554 | $20.46 |
| 22 | Illinois | $45,984 | $22.11 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $40,375 | $19.41 |
| 24 | Utah | $41,044 | $19.73 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $44,911 | $21.59 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $38,468 | $18.49 |
| 27 | Colorado | $46,022 | $22.13 |
| 28 | Vermont | $40,288 | $19.37 |
| 29 | California | $45,867 | $22.05 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $42,701 | $20.53 |
| 31 | Maine | $39,841 | $19.15 |
| 32 | Indiana | $43,641 | $20.98 |
| 33 | Montana | $38,607 | $18.56 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $39,467 | $18.97 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $42,768 | $20.56 |
| 36 | Ohio | $41,867 | $20.13 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $40,133 | $19.29 |
| 38 | Florida | $39,672 | $19.07 |
| 39 | Arizona | $39,416 | $18.95 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $36,834 | $17.71 |
| 41 | Iowa | $38,088 | $18.31 |
| 42 | Michigan | $35,716 | $17.17 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $36,096 | $17.35 |
| 44 | Georgia | $37,051 | $17.81 |
| 45 | Kansas | $36,702 | $17.65 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $33,257 | $15.99 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $33,443 | $16.08 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $33,498 | $16.10 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $32,994 | $15.86 |
| 50 | Missouri | $35,570 | $17.10 |
| 51 | Alabama | $33,935 | $16.31 |
Highest paying cities for public relations assistants
The highest-paying cities for public relations assistants are Seattle, WA, Anchorage, AK, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $58,547 | $28.15 |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $56,748 | $27.28 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $55,813 | $26.83 |
| 4 | North Brunswick, NJ | $53,933 | $25.93 |
| 5 | Charlottesville, VA | $49,724 | $23.91 |
| 6 | Reno, NV | $49,022 | $23.57 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $48,783 | $23.45 |
| 8 | Weslaco, TX | $48,313 | $23.23 |
| 9 | Rochester, NY | $47,335 | $22.76 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $46,139 | $22.18 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $46,074 | $22.15 |
| 12 | West Hollywood, CA | $45,380 | $21.82 |
| 13 | Richmond, IN | $43,652 | $20.99 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $42,953 | $20.65 |
| 15 | Salt Lake City, UT | $41,066 | $19.74 |
| 16 | Cincinnati, OH | $40,683 | $19.56 |
| 17 | Miami, FL | $39,169 | $18.83 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $37,118 | $17.85 |
| 19 | Huntsville, AL | $33,754 | $16.23 |
Public relations assistant salary details
A public relations assistant's salary ranges from $34,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $61,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a public relations assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29 |
| 75th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| Average | $46,197 | $3,850 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
Highest paying public relations assistant jobs
The highest paying types of public relations assistants are public affairs specialist, social media specialist, and marketing communications assistant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Media Coordinator | $47,471 | $3,956 | $22.82 | 35,285 |
| Communications Coordinator | $47,075 | $3,923 | $22.63 | 39,790 |
| Publicist | $50,679 | $4,223 | $24.36 | 7,343 |
| Community Relations Coordinator | $45,632 | $3,803 | $21.94 | 46,318 |
| Community Relations Internship | $31,172 | $2,598 | $14.99 | 67,285 |
| Publications Coordinator | $48,593 | $4,049 | $23.36 | 27,541 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for public relations assistants, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Michael Riecke
Assistant Professor, State University of New York at Oswego
They may not openly admit it, but many employers see the first job as a test of who has the stamina, talent, and passion for succeeding. If a new employee puts in the effort, doesn't balk at long hours, and gets the job done well without a sizeable financial reward, it's generally interpreted by the employer as a sign of commitment. That display of commitment typically gets rewarded.
Top companies hiring public relations assistants now:
Which companies pay public relations assistants the most?
Public relations assistant salaries at California Institute of Technology and ALDI USA are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average public relations assistant salary at companies like Beacon Hill Staffing Group and Reid Health are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Institute of Technology | $54,058 | $25.99 |
| 2 | ALDI USA | $51,054 | $24.55 |
| 3 | Beacon Hill Staffing Group | $50,857 | $24.45 |
| 4 | Reid Health | $50,001 | $24.04 |
| 5 | Ralph Lauren | $49,254 | $23.68 |
| 6 | Havas Edge | $49,072 | $23.59 |
| 7 | Euro Pacific Capital Inc | $46,365 | $22.29 |
| 8 | University of Rochester | $46,176 | $22.20 |
| 9 | REVOLVE | $46,028 | $22.13 |
| 10 | John F Kennedy Middle School | $44,080 | $21.19 |
| 11 | The HT Group | $43,914 | $21.11 |
| 12 | Southcentral Foundation | $43,652 | $20.99 |
| 13 | Wolfe & Taylor | $43,604 | $20.96 |
| 14 | Richemont North America, Inc. | $43,050 | $20.70 |
| 15 | Catholic Charities of Oregon | $41,887 | $20.14 |
| 16 | ManpowerGroup | $41,697 | $20.05 |
| 17 | Sunshine Sachs | $41,503 | $19.95 |
| 18 | University of Virginia | $41,303 | $19.86 |
| 19 | The Field Museum | $40,912 | $19.67 |
| 20 | Swm | $40,226 | $19.34 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Public Relations Assistant salary by industry
The average public relations assistant salary varies across industries:
- The average public relations assistant salary in the finance industry is $46,270, the highest of any industry.
- The average public relations assistant salary in the finance industry is $45,348.
- Public relations assistants in the retail industry earn an average salary of $38,955, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for public relations assistants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $46,270 | $22.25 |
| 2 | Professional | $45,348 | $21.80 |
| 3 | Hospitality | $45,191 | $21.73 |
| 4 | Health Care | $44,419 | $21.36 |
| 5 | Education | $43,873 | $21.09 |
| 6 | Media | $43,283 | $20.81 |
| 7 | Retail | $38,955 | $18.73 |
High paying public relations assistant jobs
Public relations assistant salary trends
The average public relations assistant salary has risen by $7,075 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average public relations assistant earned $39,122 annually, but today, they earn $46,197 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for public relations assistants over the last decade.
Compare public relations assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average public relations assistant salary over time
Compare public relations assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Public relations assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $46,200 | $22.21 | +2.6% |
| 2025 | $45,000 | $21.62 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $44,100 | $21.22 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | $43,600 | $20.97 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $42,700 | $20.52 | +2.2% |
Recently added public relations assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pattern Promotions | Public Relations Assistant | Toledo, OH | 06/29/2025 | $57,000 |
| Ideaboxpro | Public Relations Assistant | Austin, TX | 06/29/2025 | $46,958 |
| Think Tell Junction | Public Relations Assistant | Kansas City, MO | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Think Tell Junction | Public Relations Assistant | New Orleans, LA | 06/27/2025 | $39,653 |
| Seronda Network | Public Relations Assistant | Cleveland, OH | 06/18/2025 | $45,000 |
| Ideaboxpro | Public Relations Assistant | Los Angeles, CA | 06/11/2025 | $25,000 |
| Microsoft | Public Relations Assistant | Chicago, IL | 06/10/2025 | $46,000 |
| Scene Events | Public Relations Assistant | Chicago, IL | 06/10/2025 | $46,000 |
| Global Channel Management, Inc. | Public Relations Assistant | New York, NY | 06/10/2025 | $41,740 |
| Ideaboxpro | Public Relations Assistant | Jersey City, NJ | 06/09/2025 | $39,131 |
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