Public relations specialists
Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media.
Public relations specialists promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media. The role reports a median annual salary of $69,780 in the US and is projected to grow 5% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Bachelor's degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.61 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include government policy implementation, legislation procedure, diplomatic principles, apply diplomatic principles, manage relationships with stakeholders.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £37,563 a year for Public relations professionals (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £30,887 to £47,627 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2493). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Public relations specialists, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
The usual route into this career in India. Each step links to the official page it comes from.
- 1 · Qualification Graduate degree in any subject[1]
- 2 · Entrance exam CUET-PG (NTA) for admission to IIMC's PG Diploma courses[1]
- 3 · Qualification 1-year PG Diploma in Advertising & Public Relations at IIMC[1][2]
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- IIMC — Admission Notice (read on 2026-09-27)
- IIMC — Post Graduate Diploma in Advertising & Public Relations (read on 2026-09-27)
2 open listings on our jobs board → Recent listings whose job title matches this career. Some jobs in this career are advertised under other titles.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Communications and Media
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Sales and Marketing
- Computers and Electronics
- Administrative
- Personnel and Human Resources
A day in the life
You start the morning scanning the news and social media for any mention of the organisation you represent, flagging a critical post that is starting to spread. By nine you are drafting a short, calm response and agreeing it with the legal team and a senior manager. Mid-morning a journalist calls asking for a comment on a new project, so you arrange a spokesperson and brief them on the key messages. You spend the next hour writing a press release about a community programme and updating the website and social channels. After lunch you meet leaders of a local residents' group to hear their concerns about construction noise and promise a follow-up. Later you coach a manager before a radio interview, practising tough questions. The day ends with a report on how coverage went this week. Sudden crises can wreck your plans, but seeing a story you shaped land well is deeply satisfying.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Respond to requests for information from the media or designate an appropriate spokesperson or information source.
- Plan or direct development or communication of programs to maintain favorable public or stockholder perceptions of an organization's accomplishments, agenda, or environmental responsibility.
- Post and update content on the company's Web site and social media outlets.
- Write press releases or other media communications to promote clients.
- Establish or maintain cooperative relationships with representatives of community, consumer, employee, or public interest groups.
- Confer with other managers to identify trends or key group interests or concerns or to provide advice on business decisions.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Public relations specialists do?
Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media.
What does a typical day look like in Public relations specialists?
You start the morning scanning the news and social media for any mention of the organisation you represent, flagging a critical post that is starting to spread. By nine you are drafting a short, calm response and agreeing it with the legal team and a senior manager. Mid-morning a journalist calls asking for a comment on a new project, so you arrange a spokesperson and brief them on the key messages.
How much does Public relations specialists earn?
The median annual salary for Public relations specialists in the US is $69,780.
What is the job outlook for Public relations specialists?
The role is projected to grow 5% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 315,900 workers.
How do I become public relations specialists?
The typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Public relations specialists need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include government policy implementation, legislation procedure, diplomatic principles, apply diplomatic principles, manage relationships with stakeholders, protect client interests. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Public relations specialists?
Our AI-durability model gives Public relations specialists a score of 0.61 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Public relations specialists has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.