Skip to content
AffordMap
Salary comparison

Commercial and Industrial Designers vs. Public Relations Specialists: Who Earns More?

Commercial and Industrial Designerss out-earn Public Relations Specialistss by $9K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Commercial and Industrial Designerss land at $83,910 and Public Relations Specialistss at $74,750. The education gap is real: commercial and industrial designer programs typically require bachelor's degree, while public relations specialist programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Commercial and Industrial Designerss is Kansas ($104,870); for Public Relations Specialistss it's District of Columbia ($102,740).

Commercial and Industrial Designers
Public Relations Specialists
Median salary
$83,910
$74,750
Hourly rate
$40.34/hr
$35.94/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$53,460
$44,110
Senior level (90th %)
$139,770
$135,150
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
33,490
283,380
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Arts & Media
Arts & Media
Top-paying state
Kansas
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Commercial and Industrial Designers median pay.

State
Commercial and Industrial Designers
Public Relations Specialists
Massachusetts
$101,720
$79,660
Rhode Island
$101,140
$77,540
California
$100,770
$85,030
Washington
$94,280
$87,470
Georgia
$91,360
$73,200
Colorado
$90,590
$80,680
New Jersey
$90,310
$80,130
New York
$89,640
$81,250
Virginia
$82,230
$80,380
Connecticut
$81,300
$84,990
Oregon
$76,970
$74,900
Nevada
$76,680
$73,840
New Hampshire
$74,050
$73,280
Maryland
$70,870
$79,560
New Mexico
$62,710
$68,700

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Commercial and Industrial Designerss or Public Relations Specialistss?

Commercial and Industrial Designerss earn more nationally. The median is $83,910 for Commercial and Industrial Designerss versus $74,750 for Public Relations Specialistss, a difference of $9K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Commercial and Industrial Designers or Public Relations Specialists?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Commercial and Industrial Designers or Public Relations Specialists?

Commercial and Industrial Designers typically requires bachelor's degree. Public Relations Specialists requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Commercial and Industrial Designerss get paid the most?

Kansas is the top-paying state for Commercial and Industrial Designerss at $104,870/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Commercial and Industrial Designers vs. Public Relations Specialists pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Massachusetts, Commercial and Industrial Designerss earn $101,720 vs. $79,660 for Public Relations Specialistss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Commercial and Industrial Designers salary breakdownView →Full Public Relations Specialists salary breakdownView →Best cities for Commercial and Industrial Designerss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Public Relations Specialistss by take-home payExplore →How to become a commercial and industrial designersGuide →How to become a public relations specialistsGuide →