SOC 27-3031 · Bellingham, WA metro

Public Relations Specialists Salary in Bellingham, WA

The average salary for public relations specialists in Bellingham, Washington is $80,130 a year ($38.53 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $77,320: half of the 120 people in this job in the Bellingham, WA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 5% less than the U.S. average for this job ($84,120).

$80,130average per year

$38.53 / hourMedian $77,320Take-home ≈ $65,201

  • $51K10th
  • $62K25th
  • $77KMedian
  • $95K75th
  • $121K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

120people in this job
-5%vs U.S. average
#9 of 10Washington metros
103cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Public Relations Specialists pay range in Bellingham

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $50,690 a year or less, while the top 10% make $121,490 or more. The middle half of public relations specialists in Bellingham earn between $62,130 and $94,740.

  • $51K10th
  • $62K25th
  • $77KMedian
  • $95K75th
  • $121K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$80,130$6,678$38.52
Median$77,320$6,443$37.17
Entry level (25th percentile)$62,130$5,178$29.87
Experienced (75th percentile)$94,740$7,895$45.55

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

Public Relations Specialists pay in Bellingham vs. Washington and the U.S.

Public relations specialists in Bellingham earn 16% less than the Washington average ($95,030) and 5% less than the U.S. average ($84,120). At the median the gap is +3% against the U.S. median of $74,750.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Bellingham$80,130$77,320$50,690$121,490120
Washington$95,030$87,470$60,760$136,0206,430
United States$84,120$74,750$44,110$135,150283,380

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Public Relations Specialists salary after taxes in Bellingham

On the average salary of $80,130, a single filer in Bellingham takes home about $65,201 a year, or $5,433 a month and $2,508 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.

Washington paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Bellingham area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.3), so the average $80,130 buys what about $77,545 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Bellingham ($57,820). A typical home costs $620,829, or 7.7 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $80,130 is worth in another city

Public Relations Specialists salary in other Washington cities

Bellingham ranks 9th of 10 Washington metro areas for this job; Kennewick pays the most ($102,230).

All Public Relations Specialists salaries in Washington

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

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Reviewed before it counts. Public Relations Specialists in Bellingham, WA.

Public Relations Specialists salary in Bellingham: questions

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

$38.53 an hour on average, and $37.17 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $50,690 a year and the 25th percentile is $62,130, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $65,201 a year ($5,433 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $80,130. Washington has no state income tax; Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.

Do public relations specialists earn more in Bellingham 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 Bellingham, WA (13380). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.1%.
  • 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 no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.75, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.75).

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