Public Relations Specialist Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of public relations specialists to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035 (about 5,700 more jobs), with about 23,000 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $74,750 a year ranks 280th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +1.8%
- Openings a year
- 23,000
- Median pay
- $74,750
- Pay rank
- 280th of 825
Is employment of public relations specialists growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of public relations specialists to rise 1.8% (about 5,700 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is about the same as the +1.5% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 41 arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations with a projection. That change ranks 503rd of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 314,500 |
| Employment, 2035 | 320,200 |
| Projected change | +1.8% |
| Openings a year | 23,000 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 314,500 jobs here differ from the 283,380 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 23,000 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 148th most of 830 occupations. About 98% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 570 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for public relations specialists rank?
The median of $74,750 a year ranks 280th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on both pay and openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: bachelor's degree.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writers and Authors | -0.3% | 11,900 | $76,910 |
| Producers and Directors | +4.0% | 12,100 | $90,360 |
| Public Relations Managers | +5.7% | 6,100 | $146,910 |
| Advertising and Promotions Managers | -3.7% | 2,300 | $133,660 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | +7.0% | 82,000 | $78,760 |
| Marketing Managers | +6.9% | 34,000 | $166,790 |
| Advertising Sales Agents | -7.2% | 7,800 | $64,820 |
| Fundraisers | +5.5% | 10,000 | $72,550 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.