Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Communicating clearly through speech while listening carefully to understand others.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Understanding written information and communicating ideas clearly in writing.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Public Relations Specialist Public relations specialists typically need a bachelor’s degree. Public relations specialists typically need a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation. Employers may prefer to hire candidates who have studied a particular field, such as communications or business.
Education
Public relations specialists typically need a bachelor’s degree in public relations or another communications field, social science, or business. Through such programs, students may produce a portfolio of work that demonstrates their ability to prospective employers. Although it is not typically required to enter the occupation, professional certification is preferred by some employers hiring candidates for public relations specialist jobs. Other Experience Internships at public relations firms or in the public relations departments of other businesses may be helpful in getting a job as a public relations specialist. Some employers prefer candidates who have experience in the field through a school newspaper, social media platforms, or blogs, or through a leadership position in school or in their community.
Your Next Step
Compare colleges and education options that can support the typical entry-level education for this career.
Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Employment of public relations specialists is projected to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035. Despite limited employment growth, about 23,000 openings for public relations specialists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment Organizations emphasize community outreach and customer relations to maintain and enhance their reputation and visibility. Public opinion can change quickly, particularly because both good and bad news spread rapidly through the Internet. Consequently, public relations specialists will be needed to respond to news developments and maintain their organization’s reputation. The use of social media is expected to create new opportunities for public relations specialists, who will help clients use these platforms effectively to reach consumers and the general public in new ways. However, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly making inroads into data-rich social media, which may soften demand for these workers. Public Relations Specialists Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Total, all occupations 3% Public relations specialists 2% Media and communication workers 0% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Public Relations Specialists Do
Public relations specialists create and maintain a positive public image for the individuals, groups, or organizations they represent. They craft media releases and develop social media programs to shape public perception of their clients and to increase awareness of each client’s work and goals.
Duties
Public relations specialists typically do the following:
- Write press releases and prepare information for the media
- Respond to information requests from the media
- Help clients communicate effectively with the public
- Draft speeches and arrange interviews for a client's top executives
- Evaluate public opinion of clients through social media
- Evaluate advertising and promotion programs to determine whether they are compatible with their organization’s public relations efforts
- Help maintain their organization’s image and identity
Public relations specialists, also called communications specialists, handle an individual’s, group’s, or organization’s communication with the public, including consumers, investors, reporters, and other media specialists. In government, public relations specialists may be called press secretaries and keep the public informed about the activities of government officials and agencies.
Public relations specialists write press releases and contact people in the media who might print or broadcast their material. Many radio or television special reports, newspaper stories, and magazine articles start at the desks of public relations specialists. For example, a press release might describe a public issue, such as health, energy, or the environment, and what an organization does concerning that issue.
Press releases often are adapted for announcements on social media, in addition to publication through traditional media outlets. Public relations specialists are usually in charge of monitoring and responding to social media questions and concerns.
Public relations specialists are different from advertisers in that they get their stories covered by media instead of purchasing ad space in publications and on television.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Public relations specialists held about 314,500 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of public relations specialists were as follows:
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 14% |
| Advertising, public relations, and related services | 12 |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 11 |
| Healthcare and social assistance | 7 |
| Grantmaking and giving services and social advocacy organizations | 6 |
Public relations specialists work for a variety of organizations, including schools, media buyers, and professional associations. They usually work in offices, but they also deliver speeches, attend meetings and community activities, and occasionally travel.
Work Schedules
Most public relations specialists work full time. Some work more than 40 hours per week.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Interpersonal skills. Public relations specialists deal with the public and the media regularly. They must be open and friendly in order to maintain a favorable image for their organization. Organizational skills. Public relations specialists are often in charge of managing several events or communications at the same time, which requires excellent skills in coordinating arrangements. Problem-solving skills. Public relations specialists sometimes must explain how a company or client is handling sensitive issues. They must use good judgment in what they report and how they report it. Speaking skills. Public relations specialists regularly speak on behalf of clients or their organization. When doing so, they must be able to clearly explain the client’s or the organization’s position. Writing skills. Public relations specialists must be able to write well-organized and clear press releases, speeches, and social media posts. They must be able to grasp key messages and write them in a succinct but engaging way.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about public relations specialists by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.