Public Relations Specialists Salary
The median pay for a public relations specialists in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA is $70,510/year ($33.9/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $120K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.65), that's roughly $71,475 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,493/month, about 31.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $71K get you in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Harrisburg-Carlisle’s Regional Price Parity (98.65). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About public relations specialists
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What this looks like in Harrisburg-Carlisle
Public relations specialists pay in Harrisburg-Carlisle tracks closely to the national median, $71K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,493/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.65) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for public relations specialists in metros near Harrisburg-Carlisle, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $65K | $63K |
| Pittsburgh | $56K | $59K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $53K | $53K |
| Lancaster | $51K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
Entry-level public relations specialists (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $120K or more, a $79K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a public relations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 32.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,493/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/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 Harrisburg-Carlisle?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public relations specialists typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,405/month. At HUD’s $1,493/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $71K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Harrisburg-Carlisle compare to the national average for public relations specialists?
Harrisburg-Carlisle pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.65), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — below the national median.
How much do public relations specialists make in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA?
The median is $70,510 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,090, and experienced public relations specialists can clear $119,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Harrisburg-Carlisle?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,652/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,493/month, which eats 32.1% 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 Harrisburg-Carlisle?
Harrisburg-Carlisle has a Regional Price Parity of 98.65 (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 $71,475 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.