Public Relations Specialists pay range in Chattanooga
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,250 a year or less, while the top 10% make $99,260 or more. The middle half of public relations specialists in Chattanooga earn between $48,700 and $80,890.
- $38K10th
- $49K25th
- $66KMedian
- $81K75th
- $99K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $67,060 | $5,588 | $32.24 |
| Median | $66,370 | $5,531 | $31.91 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $48,700 | $4,058 | $23.41 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $80,890 | $6,741 | $38.89 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Public Relations Specialists salary after taxes in Chattanooga
On the average salary of $67,060, a single filer in Chattanooga takes home about $56,007 a year, or $4,667 a month and $2,154 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
The Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in TN | $56,007 | $4,667 |
| Working in GA | $53,409 | $4,451 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Chattanooga a good place for public relations specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chattanooga area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.5), so the average $67,060 buys what about $73,318 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Chattanooga ($46,700). A typical home costs $326,370, or 4.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Public Relations Specialists salary in other Tennessee cities
Chattanooga ranks 3rd of 8 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Nashville pays the most ($67,880).
- Nashville$67,880
- Memphis$67,740
- Chattanooga$67,060
- Knoxville$64,900
- Kingsport$64,190
- Clarksville$59,750
- Jackson$55,360
- Johnson City$54,910
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 Chattanooga: questions
How much do public relations specialists make an hour in Chattanooga?
$32.24 an hour on average, and $31.91 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level public relations specialists salary in Chattanooga?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,250 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,700, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the public relations specialists take-home pay in Chattanooga?
About $56,007 a year ($4,667 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $67,060. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do public relations specialists earn more in Chattanooga than elsewhere?
The average here is 22% 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA (16860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.68, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.68).
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