Public Relations Specialists Salary
The median pay for a public relations specialists in Lexington-Fayette, KY is $62,380/year ($29.99/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $108K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.89), which stretches that salary to about $67,155 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 31% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $62K get you in Lexington-Fayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lexington-Fayette’s Regional Price Parity (92.89). 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 Lexington-Fayette
Pay for public relations specialists in Lexington-Fayette runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $75K. Rent runs $1,272/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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 Lexington-Fayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $62K | $66K |
| Bowling Green | $53K | $58K |
| Elizabethtown | $67K | $74K |
| Paducah | $51K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lexington-Fayette, KY
Entry-level public relations specialists (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $108K or more, a $67K 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 Lexington-Fayette?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 30.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Lexington-Fayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new public relations specialists typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,464/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Lexington-Fayette?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $62K here vs. $75K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lexington-Fayette compare to the national average for public relations specialists?
Lexington-Fayette pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — below the national median.
How much do public relations specialists make in Lexington-Fayette, KY?
The median is $62,380 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,060, and experienced public relations specialists can clear $107,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Lexington-Fayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,139/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 30.7% 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 Lexington-Fayette?
Lexington-Fayette has a Regional Price Parity of 92.89 (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 $67,155 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.