Public Relations Specialists Salary
The median pay for a public relations specialists in Boulder, CO is $81,180/year ($39.03/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $133K for experienced workers.
Where the paycheck goes
What $81K actually covers in Boulder, month by month
About public relations specialists
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for public relations specialists in metros near Boulder, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $83K | , |
| Colorado Springs | $76K | , |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $77K | , |
| Greeley | $70K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boulder, CO
Entry-level public relations specialists (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $133K or more, a $85K spread from bottom to top.
Public Relations Specialists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Public Relations Specialists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $103K | +37% | 16,720 |
| Washington | $87K | +17% | 6,430 |
| California | $85K | +14% | 32,710 |
| Connecticut | $85K | +14% | 1,910 |
| New York | $81K | +9% | 28,250 |
| Colorado | $81K | +8% | 7,410 |
| Virginia | $80K | +8% | 9,990 |
| New Jersey | $80K | +7% | 4,980 |
| Massachusetts | $80K | +7% | 6,760 |
| Maryland | $80K | +6% | 4,190 |
| Rhode Island | $78K | +4% | 1,140 |
| Illinois | $76K | +2% | 6,200 |
| Delaware | $76K | +2% | 930 |
| Oregon | $75K | +0% | 4,510 |
| Nevada | $74K | -1% | 1,600 |
| New Hampshire | $73K | -2% | 1,140 |
| Georgia | $73K | -2% | 6,860 |
| North Dakota | $70K | -6% | 640 |
| Alaska | $70K | -6% | 640 |
| New Mexico | $69K | -8% | 1,130 |
| Minnesota | $69K | -8% | 8,260 |
| Wyoming | $67K | -10% | 480 |
| Wisconsin | $67K | -10% | 4,410 |
| North Carolina | $67K | -10% | 9,910 |
| Arizona | $67K | -11% | 5,350 |
| Vermont | $66K | -12% | 1,260 |
| Michigan | $65K | -13% | 7,510 |
| Texas | $65K | -13% | 25,220 |
| Arkansas | $65K | -13% | 980 |
| Oklahoma | $65K | -13% | 2,280 |
| Indiana | $65K | -13% | 3,750 |
| Kansas | $65K | -13% | 2,340 |
| Ohio | $65K | -13% | 6,670 |
| South Dakota | $65K | -14% | 210 |
| Hawaii | $64K | -15% | 1,800 |
| Montana | $64K | -15% | 1,760 |
| Florida | $64K | -15% | 17,820 |
| Iowa | $63K | -16% | 2,890 |
| South Carolina | $63K | -16% | 2,950 |
| Utah | $63K | -16% | 1,800 |
| Maine | $62K | -16% | 1,400 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -17% | 1,590 |
| Alabama | $62K | -17% | 2,410 |
| Missouri | $61K | -18% | 4,820 |
| Idaho | $61K | -18% | 1,220 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -19% | 3,380 |
| Louisiana | $60K | -19% | 1,710 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -20% | 2,580 |
| Mississippi | $60K | -20% | 950 |
| Pennsylvania | $57K | -23% | 11,180 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -24% | 350 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track public relations specialists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Boulder numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a public relations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boulder?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 23.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,199/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for public relations specialists in Boulder?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public relations specialists typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,172/month.
Is public relations specialist a high-paying job in Boulder?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $81K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Boulder compare to the national average for public relations specialists?
Boulder pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +9%.
How much do public relations specialists make in Boulder, CO?
The median is $81,180 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,430, and experienced public relations specialists can clear $132,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Boulder?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,160/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,199/month, which eats 23.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a public relations specialists salary go in Boulder?
Boulder has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median public relations specialists salary is worth about $81,180 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do public relations specialists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.