Public Relations Specialists pay range in Modesto
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,500 a year or less, while the top 10% make $130,910 or more. The middle half of public relations specialists in Modesto earn between $54,700 and $107,640.
- $46K10th
- $55K25th
- $77KMedian
- $108K75th
- $131K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $82,550 | $6,879 | $39.69 |
| Median | $76,610 | $6,384 | $36.83 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $54,700 | $4,558 | $26.30 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $107,640 | $8,970 | $51.75 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Public Relations Specialists pay in Modesto vs. California and the U.S.
Public relations specialists in Modesto earn 15% less than the California average ($97,140) and about the same as the U.S. average ($84,120). At the median the gap is +2% against the U.S. median of $74,750.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto | $82,550 | $76,610 | $45,500 | $130,910 | 140 |
| California | $97,140 | $85,030 | $49,550 | $160,520 | 32,710 |
| United States | $84,120 | $74,750 | $44,110 | $135,150 | 283,380 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Public Relations Specialists salary after taxes in Modesto
On the average salary of $82,550, a single filer in Modesto takes home about $63,319 a year, or $5,277 a month and $2,435 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Modesto a good place for public relations specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Modesto area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.1), so the average $82,550 buys what about $79,293 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Modesto ($50,610). A typical home costs $468,302, or 5.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Public Relations Specialists salary in other California cities
Modesto ranks 19th of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($126,870).
- San Jose$126,870
- San Francisco$114,310
- Napa$98,950
- El Centro$96,000
- Sacramento$95,120
- San Diego$93,200
- Vallejo$91,520
- Oxnard$91,410
- Los Angeles$89,790
- Modesto$82,550
Highest-paying cities for public relations specialists
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($126,870).
- San Jose, CA$126,870
- Washington, DC$116,930
- San Francisco, CA$114,310
- Lexington Park, MD$107,990
- Kennewick, WA$102,230
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Public Relations Specialists salary in Modesto: questions
How much do public relations specialists make an hour in Modesto?
$39.69 an hour on average, and $36.83 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level public relations specialists salary in Modesto?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,500 a year and the 25th percentile is $54,700, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the public relations specialists take-home pay in Modesto?
About $63,319 a year ($5,277 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $82,550. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do public relations specialists earn more in Modesto than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($84,120).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-3031; area Modesto, CA (33700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 7.2%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.39, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.39).
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