Public Relations Specialists Salary
The median pay for a public relations specialists in Florida is $63,660/year ($30.61/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $116K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $64,577 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,658/month, about 37.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $64K get you in Florida?
About public relations specialists
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What this looks like in Florida
Pay for public relations specialists in Florida runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $75K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,658/month, which is 37.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for public relations specialistss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level public relations specialists (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $116K or more, a $79K spread from bottom to top.
Public Relations Specialists salary by metro in Florida
20 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildwood-The Villages | $71K | +12% | 40 |
| Naples-Marco Island | $68K | +6% | 270 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $67K | +6% | 2,320 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $65K | +2% | 2,590 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $65K | +1% | 5,460 |
| Jacksonville | $64K | -0% | 1,070 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | $63K | -1% | 190 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach | $63K | -1% | 90 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $62K | -2% | 380 |
| Gainesville | $62K | -3% | 380 |
| Ocala | $62K | -3% | 180 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $61K | -4% | 450 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $61K | -4% | 390 |
| Tallahassee | $60K | -6% | 760 |
| Port St. Lucie | $58K | -9% | 220 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $58K | -9% | 340 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | $56K | -12% | 260 |
| Punta Gorda | $55K | -13% | 50 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor | $53K | -16% | 50 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $51K | -20% | 280 |
Showing 1–10 of 20 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a public relations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 37.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for public relations specialists in Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public relations specialists typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,220/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 75% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is public relations specialist a high-paying job in Florida?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $64K here vs. $75K nationally.
How does Florida compare to the national average for public relations specialists?
Florida pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do public relations specialists make in Florida?
The median is $63,660 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,000, and experienced public relations specialists can clear $115,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,431/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 37.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a public relations specialists salary go in Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median public relations specialists salary is worth about $64,577 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.