How Much Money Do Public Relations Specialists Make?
Public relations specialists are the link between a company or business and the community, according to The Balance Careers. As we are currently living in a world where people spend hours on social media and your reputation can be made or ruined by a simple message on a social platform, these specialists are vital to the success of a company. Public relations specialists are experts in communication. On any given day, they are likely writing press releases, working with the media and responding to their requests for information, creating logos or slogans for a company, writing speeches, planning events, and handling fundraising, per Career Explorer.
There are a lot of different tasks required of a public relations specialist and your day-to-day is subject to the type of business you choose to work for. A larger corporation may have you focusing on one or two of the above tasks, while a smaller company will have you doing a bit of everything, per The Balance Careers. Your salary is also dependent on your company as the range is quite vast for public relations specialists. Here's how much you can expect to make.
Public relations specialists make more as they gain more experience
Public relations is a popular job. In fact, U.S. News & World Report ranked a public relations specialist as #1 in creative and media jobs and #35 in the best 100 jobs overall. These rankings are based on reported stress levels, future job prospects within the industry, work-life balance, unemployment rate, and the median salary.
Unfortunately, though, if you want to make the big bucks in public relations, you have to put in the time. According to Career Explorer, those just starting out in the field can make as low as $37,020 per year. Luckily, though, that number can rise quickly. Once you are considered a junior-level employee, you can expect your yearly salary to rise to about $48,670 and then to about $62,800 when you reach mid-level public relations. A senior public relations specialist can expect a starting salary of around $81,960, while a top-level employee will finally see a six-figure salary of around $124,620.
All of these salary numbers are simply ranges and depending on where you work and your skill level, you may be able to start out at more. So how do you become a successful public relations specialist?
Becoming a public relations specialist requires education and talent
The requirements for entering the public relations field are pretty basic. According to The Balance Careers, there is no rule that states someone in public relations requires a degree or license of any kind. Still, though, most companies prefer a candidate to have a bachelor's degree in things like public relations, marketing, business, communications, advertising, or journalism. It is also a good idea to get an internship or two while still in school so you have hands-on experience. An internship may also help you start your career in a higher salary bracket.
Other than your education, you will need some inherent skills to be successful as a public relations specialist. Career Girls mentions you will need to have good interpersonal skills and be able to communicate effectively with the media and other individuals you come across. Being friendly and approachable is a must when working in public relations. You must also be organized, good at speaking in public, a good writer so you can write press releases and social media posts, and be skilled in solving problems. If this sounds like you, you may be perfect for a public relations job.