SOC 27-3031 · Decatur, IL metro

Public Relations Specialists Salary in Decatur, IL

The average salary for public relations specialists in Decatur, Illinois is $67,330 a year ($32.37 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $59,840: half of the 30 people in this job in the Decatur, IL metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 21% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($85,506).

$67,330average per year

$32.37 / hourMedian $59,840Take-home ≈ $53,005

  • $37K10th
  • $47K25th
  • $60KMedian
  • $77K75th
  • $99K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

30people in this job
-21%vs U.S. metro average
#6 of 7Illinois metros
88cost of living (U.S. = 100)
Advertisement

Public Relations Specialists pay range in Decatur

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,460 a year or less, while the top 10% make $99,300 or more. The middle half of public relations specialists in Decatur earn between $46,640 and $76,950.

  • $37K10th
  • $47K25th
  • $60KMedian
  • $77K75th
  • $99K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$67,330$5,611$32.37
Median$59,840$4,987$28.77
Entry level (25th percentile)$46,640$3,887$22.42
Experienced (75th percentile)$76,950$6,412$37.00

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Public Relations Specialists salary after taxes in Decatur

On the average salary of $67,330, a single filer in Decatur takes home about $53,005 a year, or $4,417 a month and $2,039 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).

Advertisement

Is Decatur a good place for public relations specialists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Decatur area are 12% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 88.4), so the average $67,330 buys what about $76,146 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Decatur ($51,290). A typical home costs $126,931, or 1.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $67,330 is worth in another city

Public Relations Specialists salary in other Illinois cities

Decatur ranks 6th of 7 Illinois metro areas for this job; Bloomington pays the most ($92,230).

All Public Relations Specialists salaries in Illinois

Highest-paying cities for public relations specialists

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($126,870).

Public Relations Specialists salary by city

Advertisement

Does this match what you are paid?

Anonymous, no account. Results update as visitors answer.

Share your pay anonymously

Reviewed before it counts. Public Relations Specialists in Decatur, IL.

Public Relations Specialists salary in Decatur: questions

How much do public relations specialists make an hour in Decatur?

$32.37 an hour on average, and $28.77 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level public relations specialists salary in Decatur?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,460 a year and the 25th percentile is $46,640, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the public relations specialists take-home pay in Decatur?

About $53,005 a year ($4,417 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $67,330.

Do public relations specialists earn more in Decatur than elsewhere?

The average here is 21% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($85,506).

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 Decatur, IL (19500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 8.7%.
  • 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).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.36, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.36).

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.