Public Relations Specialists pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,090 a year or less, while the top 10% make $136,870 or more. The middle half of public relations specialists in Los Angeles earn between $63,550 and $105,980.
- $48K10th
- $64K25th
- $80KMedian
- $106K75th
- $137K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $89,790 | $7,482 | $43.17 |
| Median | $79,860 | $6,655 | $38.39 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $63,550 | $5,296 | $30.55 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $105,980 | $8,832 | $50.95 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Public Relations Specialists pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Public relations specialists in Los Angeles earn 8% less than the California average ($97,140) and 7% more than the U.S. average ($84,120). At the median the gap is +7% against the U.S. median of $74,750.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $89,790 | $79,860 | $48,090 | $136,870 | 11,910 |
| California | $97,140 | $85,030 | $49,550 | $160,520 | 32,710 |
| 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 Los Angeles
On the average salary of $89,790, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $67,739 a year, or $5,645 a month and $2,605 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for public relations specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $89,790 buys what about $79,064 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 10.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Public Relations Specialists salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 9th of 24 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($126,870).
- San Jose$126,870
- San Francisco$114,310
- Napa$98,950
- El Centro$96,000
- Sacramento$95,120
- San Diego$93,200
- Vallejo$91,520
- Oxnard$91,410
- Los Angeles$89,790
- Santa Rosa$88,300
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 Los Angeles: questions
How much do public relations specialists make an hour in Los Angeles?
$43.17 an hour on average, and $38.39 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level public relations specialists salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,090 a year and the 25th percentile is $63,550, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the public relations specialists take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $67,739 a year ($5,645 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $89,790. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do public relations specialists earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% more 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.8%.
- 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). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.04, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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