Public Relations Specialists pay in California
$97,140avg. a year
$46.70 an hour · 32,710 employed
Public Relations Specialists in California earn an average of $97,140 a year. That is $13,020 (15%) more than the U.S. average of $84,120. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $126,870.
$85,030Median pay
$46.70Average hourly
+21%Avg. pay since 2020
#2Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for public relations specialists by metro area. Swipe to see all 24.
12,200 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$126,870
$60.99 an hour
26,290 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$114,310
$54.96 an hour
380 jobs
Napa, CA
$98,950
$47.57 an hour
440 jobs
El Centro, CA
$96,000
$46.15 an hour
52,620 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$95,120
$45.73 an hour
62,730 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$93,200
$44.81 an hour
7130 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$91,520
$44.00 an hour
8370 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$91,410
$43.95 an hour
911,910 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$89,790
$43.17 an hour
10270 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$88,300
$42.45 an hour
1140 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$88,120
$42.37 an hour
12180 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$88,000
$42.31 an hour
13190 jobs
Salinas, CA
$86,900
$41.78 an hour
1440 jobs
Merced, CA
$86,150
$41.42 an hour
15270 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$85,950
$41.32 an hour
16210 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$85,460
$41.09 an hour
17270 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$82,920
$39.86 an hour
181,470 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$82,860
$39.84 an hour
19140 jobs
Modesto, CA
$82,550
$39.69 an hour
20160 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$79,070
$38.01 an hour
21490 jobs
Fresno, CA
$77,550
$37.28 an hour
22100 jobs
Visalia, CA
$77,440
$37.23 an hour
23100 jobs
Redding, CA
$75,700
$36.40 an hour
24120 jobs
Chico, CA
$73,940
$35.55 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Public Relations Specialists pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California public relations specialists work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $70k$70k–$75k$75k–$85k$85k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $84,120 | $40.44 |
| California | $97,140 | $46.70 |
| Oregon | $80,470 | $38.69 |
| Nevada | $79,430 | $38.19 |
| Arizona | $76,700 | $36.88 |
Related jobs in California
- Editors$111,810
- Interpreters and Translators$78,800
- Technical Writers$117,060
- Media and Communication Workers, All Other$98,120
- Coaches and Scouts$62,020
- Graphic Designers$86,800
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do public relations specialists make in California?
The average is $97,140 a year, and the median is $85,030. That is $13,020 (15%) more than the U.S. average of $84,120.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$46.70 an hour on average; the median is $40.88.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($126,870), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($114,310). The lowest average among 24 metro areas with data is Chico, CA ($73,940).
How does California rank?
California ranks #2 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 27-3031. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national public relations specialists page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.