Best Places to Look for a Job in PR — GVSU PRSSA – Grand Valley State University Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America

There is no doubt that the PR industry is growing at a fast pace. According to the 2015 Holmes Report, public relations firms around the world continue to benefit due to the increased spending on social media and any digital activity. With today’s competitive business industry, having public relations there to create an objective conversation about a brand or company is a necessity. Since Public Relations is an area that every business should have, it isn’t that hard to find a job just about anywhere.

When it comes to a career in marketing, (which includes PR professionals) the location you choose can have quite the impact on your future salary and overall job satisfaction, as you can see in this PR Daily article. While there are PR jobs to be found in just about every major city, here are the top ten cities in the U.S. with the highest demand for the job:

1. Washington D.C.
The nation’s capital is without a doubt the country’s highest location quotient. The demand of PR services is extremely high in this area where employers have their fair share in both the public and private sectors. The annual average salary for a PR professional in the capital is $97,270.

2. New York, New York
At number two, New York City has the most PR positions available with 19,470 positions, while the average American city has about 565 PR jobs! The most popular city in the country is home to 79% of the state’s total PR jobs. Edelman, the world’s largest public relations firm had 5,308 employees at the New York firm in 2014 and made about $800 million in net fees.

3. San Francisco, California
Being the city with the highest cost of living (100% more expensive than an average city), it has the third-highest annual average salary in PR jobs at $83,530. San Francisco is known as a popular spot for summer internships for students studying in the field of PR. The city is also home to many senior-level PR professionals out of the nation.

4. Madison, Wisconsin
If you want to stay close to Michigan, Madison has just 1,210 jobs available, but the benefit is that the city has a strong chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. The city is also known to have a lot of great summer internship opportunities. The average salary in Madison is $70,690.

5. Austin, Texas
This city is home to one of the nation’s most respected schools: the University of Texas at Austin’s Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations. Austin is also the most affordable city on the list as it is about 2% cheaper to live here versus any other American city. About $65,820 is the average salary for PR professionals to earn in this city.

Other cities that made the top ten:

6. Sacramento, California
Average Salary: $77,650

7. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Average Salary: $66,020

8. Trenton, New Jersey
Average Salary: $70,770

9. Lansing, Michigan
Average Salary: $63,900

10. Boston, Massachusetts
Average Salary: $64,270

So once you get that PR degree, make a list of pros and cons and find the perfect city for you to start your PR career!

About Kelly

Kelly Carmien is entering her senior year majoring in Advertising/Public Relations with minors in Business and Marketing. She is an Account Executive at GrandPR as her second year. In her free time, Kelly enjoys rollerblading, Netflix, listening to 80’s music, playing with cats, and spending time with family and friends.