Public Relations Specialist Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Public Relations Specialists in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $64,550 a year — 14% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $52,064 take-home, or $4,339 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median public relations specialist salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,566
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,002
- Medicare (1.45%)$936
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,982
- Take-home pay$52,064
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $2,414 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $49,650 ($4,138 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Public Relations Specialist pay by experience in Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $39,540 | $19.01 | $32,737 | $2,728 |
| 25th percentile | $52,300 | $25.14 | $42,597 | $3,550 |
| Median (50th) | $64,550 | $31.03 | $52,064 | $4,339 |
| 75th percentile | $85,090 | $40.91 | $66,079 | $5,507 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $114,090 | $54.85 | $85,590 | $7,132 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $64,550 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median public relations specialist's $52,064 take-home pay has the buying power of $50,768 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Public Relations Specialist jobs are about as common in Philadelphia, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.99).
Best-paying cities for public relations specialists, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #21 of 22 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $96,000 | $76,366 | $68,716 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $101,680 | $74,688 | $68,594 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $102,520 | $74,315 | $64,279 |
| 4 | Sacramento, CA | $89,640 | $66,619 | $62,454 |
| 5 | Charlotte, NC | $75,190 | $59,235 | $60,849 |
| 6 | Atlanta, GA | $78,920 | $60,877 | $60,842 |
| 7 | Denver, CO | $82,930 | $64,231 | $60,720 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $69,470 | $57,702 | $58,840 |
| 21 | Philadelphia, PA | $64,550 | $52,064 | $50,768 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 22 metros →
About the job: public relations specialists
Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +1.8% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a public relations specialist make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median public relations specialist salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $64,550 a year, or about $31.03 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $52,300 and $85,090.
What is a public relations specialist’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $64,550 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $52,064 a year ($4,339 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,982 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a public relations specialist?
Pay here is 14% below the national median of $74,750. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $50,768 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #21 of 22 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a public relations specialist afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 35% of a median public relations specialist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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