Public Relations Specialists pay range in Charlotte
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $43,920 a year or less, while the top 10% make $149,990 or more. The middle half of public relations specialists in Charlotte earn between $55,170 and $102,200.
- $44K10th
- $55K25th
- $75KMedian
- $102K75th
- $150K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $86,370 | $7,198 | $41.52 |
| Median | $75,190 | $6,266 | $36.15 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $55,170 | $4,598 | $26.52 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $102,200 | $8,517 | $49.13 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Public Relations Specialists pay in Charlotte vs. North Carolina and the U.S.
Public relations specialists in Charlotte earn 9% 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 +1% against the U.S. median of $74,750.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | $86,370 | $75,190 | $43,920 | $149,990 | 2,470 |
| 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 Charlotte
On the average salary of $86,370, a single filer in Charlotte takes home about $66,654 a year, or $5,554 a month and $2,564 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
The Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in NC | $66,654 | $5,554 |
| Working in SC | $66,180 | $5,515 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Charlotte a good place for public relations specialists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Charlotte area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.3), so the average $86,370 buys what about $88,723 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Charlotte ($49,990). A typical home costs $390,321, or 4.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Public Relations Specialists salary in other North Carolina cities
Charlotte ranks 1st of 15 North Carolina metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- 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 Charlotte: questions
How much do public relations specialists make an hour in Charlotte?
$41.52 an hour on average, and $36.15 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level public relations specialists salary in Charlotte?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $43,920 a year and the 25th percentile is $55,170, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the public relations specialists take-home pay in Charlotte?
About $66,654 a year ($5,554 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $86,370.
Do public relations specialists earn more in Charlotte 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (16740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.9%.
- 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 1.00, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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