BLS metro-level wage data places Public Relations Specialists pay in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA at a median of $72,610 per year ($34.91/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $74,750, Amherst Town-Northampton pays 3% below, which typically tracks with a lower local cost of living or smaller specialized-employer cluster. Approximately 180 public relations specialistss are employed across the Amherst Town-Northampton MSA in SOC 27-3031.

The Amherst Town-Northampton pay distribution spans from $48,490 at the 10th percentile to $102,320 at the 90th — a 2.1× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $54,050 and the 75th at $85,700, so half of Amherst Town-Northampton-based public relations specialistss earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Amherst Town-Northampton, MA covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide MA data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.