Public Relations Specialists pay range in Rochester
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $43,640 a year or less, while the top 10% make $115,280 or more. The middle half of public relations specialists in Rochester earn between $59,140 and $87,310.
- $44K10th
- $59K25th
- $72KMedian
- $87K75th
- $115K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $79,500 | $6,625 | $38.22 |
| Median | $71,740 | $5,978 | $34.49 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $59,140 | $4,928 | $28.43 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $87,310 | $7,276 | $41.98 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Public Relations Specialists pay in Rochester vs. New York and the U.S.
Public relations specialists in Rochester earn 17% less than the New York average ($95,760) and 5% less than the U.S. average ($84,120). At the median the gap is -4% against the U.S. median of $74,750.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester | $79,500 | $71,740 | $43,640 | $115,280 | 880 |
| New York | $95,760 | $81,250 | $51,730 | $157,610 | 28,250 |
| 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 Rochester
On the average salary of $79,500, a single filer in Rochester takes home about $60,991 a year, or $5,083 a month and $2,346 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). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Is Rochester a good place for public relations specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Rochester area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.0), so the average $79,500 buys what about $81,929 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Rochester ($51,210). A typical home costs $285,034, or 3.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Public Relations Specialists salary in other New York cities
Rochester ranks 7th of 13 New York metro areas for this job; New York pays the most ($99,240).
- New York$99,240
- Watertown$84,400
- Glens Falls$82,750
- Kiryas Joel$81,600
- Kingston$80,370
- Elmira$80,230
- Rochester$79,500
- Albany$78,100
- Buffalo$76,770
- Ithaca$75,020
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 Rochester: questions
How much do public relations specialists make an hour in Rochester?
$38.22 an hour on average, and $34.49 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level public relations specialists salary in Rochester?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $43,640 a year and the 25th percentile is $59,140, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the public relations specialists take-home pay in Rochester?
About $60,991 a year ($5,083 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $79,500. New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
Do public relations specialists earn more in Rochester than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% less than 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 Rochester, NY (40380). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.2%.
- 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). New York City (up to 3.876%) and Yonkers income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.98, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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