Public Relations Specialists

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.

Public relations specialists held about 315,900 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of public relations specialists were as follows:

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.

Public relations specialists typically need a bachelor's degree to enter the occupation.

The median annual wage for public relations specialists was $69,780 in May 2024.

Employment of public relations specialists is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 27,600 openings for public relations specialists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many 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.