Public Relations Specialists Salary
The median pay for a public relations specialists in Killeen-Temple, TX is $65,170/year ($31.33/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.13), which stretches that salary to about $71,513 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,233/month, or 27.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $65K actually covers in Killeen-Temple, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Killeen-Temple’s Regional Price Parity (91.13). 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 Killeen-Temple
Pay for public relations specialists in Killeen-Temple runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $75K. Rent runs $1,233/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.13 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for public relations specialists in metros near Killeen-Temple, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $69K | $67K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $68K | $69K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $69K | $71K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $65K | $68K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Killeen-Temple, TX
Entry-level public relations specialists (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $61K 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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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a public relations specialist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Killeen-Temple?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 27.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,233/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for public relations specialists in Killeen-Temple?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public relations specialists typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,866/month. At HUD’s $1,233/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Killeen-Temple?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $65K here vs. $75K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Killeen-Temple compare to the national average for public relations specialists?
Killeen-Temple pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do public relations specialists make in Killeen-Temple, TX?
The median is $65,170 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,260, and experienced public relations specialists can clear $100,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Killeen-Temple?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,519/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,233/month, which eats 27.3% 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 Killeen-Temple?
Killeen-Temple has a Regional Price Parity of 91.13 (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 $71,513 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.