Public Relations Specialists pay range in Raleigh
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $44,540 a year or less, while the top 10% make $149,130 or more. The middle half of public relations specialists in Raleigh earn between $56,730 and $89,670.
- $45K10th
- $57K25th
- $69KMedian
- $90K75th
- $149K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $82,230 | $6,852 | $39.53 |
| Median | $68,790 | $5,732 | $33.07 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $56,730 | $4,728 | $27.27 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $89,670 | $7,472 | $43.11 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Public Relations Specialists pay in Raleigh vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Public relations specialists in Raleigh earn 4% more than the North Carolina average ($78,940) and about the same as the U.S. average ($84,120). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $74,750.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh | $82,230 | $68,790 | $44,540 | $149,130 | 2,330 |
| North Carolina | $78,940 | $67,230 | $39,840 | $136,450 | 9,910 |
| 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 Raleigh
On the average salary of $82,230, a single filer in Raleigh takes home about $63,907 a year, or $5,326 a month and $2,458 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Raleigh a good place for public relations specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Raleigh area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.2), so the average $82,230 buys what about $83,774 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Raleigh ($51,990). A typical home costs $438,364, or 5.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Public Relations Specialists salary in other North Carolina cities
Raleigh ranks 3rd of 15 North Carolina metro areas for this job; Charlotte pays the most ($86,370).
- Charlotte$86,370
- Durham$84,780
- Raleigh$82,230
- Pinehurst$79,970
- Fayetteville$79,340
- Wilmington$72,290
- Greensboro$69,280
- Greenville$68,780
- Winston-Salem$67,930
- Asheville$67,760
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 Raleigh: questions
How much do public relations specialists make an hour in Raleigh?
$39.53 an hour on average, and $33.07 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level public relations specialists salary in Raleigh?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $44,540 a year and the 25th percentile is $56,730, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the public relations specialists take-home pay in Raleigh?
About $63,907 a year ($5,326 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $82,230.
Do public relations specialists earn more in Raleigh 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC (39580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.3%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.72, this job is 1.7 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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