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Salary comparison

Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators vs. Public Relations Specialists: Who Earns More?

Public Relations Specialists out-earn Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators by $19K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators land at $55,490 and Public Relations Specialists at $74,750. The education gap is real: fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustrator programs typically require bachelor's degree, while public relations specialist programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators is Oregon ($98,540); for Public Relations Specialists it's District of Columbia ($102,740).

Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
Public Relations Specialists
Median salary
$55,490
$74,750
Hourly rate
$26.68/hr
$35.94/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$31,630
$44,110
Senior level (90th %)
$144,210
$135,150
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
11,220
283,380
Job growth (10-year)
-1.2%
4.8%
Category
Arts & Media
Arts & Media
Top-paying state
Oregon
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators median pay.

State
Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
Public Relations Specialists
Oregon
$98,540
$74,900
Nevada
$81,630
$73,840
New York
$78,870
$81,250
Washington
$72,430
$87,470
Connecticut
$71,210
$84,990
Maryland
$66,180
$79,560
Georgia
$65,010
$73,200
New Mexico
$63,090
$68,700
Minnesota
$61,730
$68,620
California
$58,240
$85,030
Arizona
$56,160
$66,710
Illinois
$53,850
$76,380
Wisconsin
$53,350
$67,240
Colorado
$51,910
$80,680
Virginia
$47,930
$80,380

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators or Public Relations Specialists?

Public Relations Specialists earn more nationally. The median is $55,490 for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators versus $74,750 for Public Relations Specialists, a difference of $19K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators or Public Relations Specialists?

Public Relations Specialists has the better 10-year outlook at 4.8% projected growth, compared to -1.2% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators or Public Relations Specialists?

Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators typically requires bachelor's degree. Public Relations Specialists requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators get paid the most?

Oregon is the top-paying state for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators at $98,540/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators vs. Public Relations Specialists pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Oregon, Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators earn $98,540 vs. $74,900 for Public Relations Specialists. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators salary breakdownView →Full Public Relations Specialists salary breakdownView →Best cities for Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Public Relations Specialists by take-home payExplore →How to become a fine artists, including painters, sculptors, and illustratorsGuide →How to become a public relations specialistsGuide →