The average salary for a publicist in the United States is around $74,750 per year.
Avg Salary
Publicists earn an average yearly salary of $74,750.
Wages typically start from $44,110 and go up to $135,150.
22% above national average Updated in 2025
Publicist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level publicist earnings begin at:
$64.98 per hour
$135,150 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level publicist earnings begin at:
$48.25 per hour
$100,370 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level publicist earnings begin at:
$35.94 per hour
$74,750 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level publicist earnings begin at:
$27.05 per hour
$56,260 per year
10th percentile
Starting level publicist earnings begin at:
$21.21 per hour
$44,110 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Publicist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $87,470 |
| California | $85,030 |
| Connecticut | $84,990 |
| New York | $81,250 |
| Colorado | $80,680 |
| Virginia | $80,380 |
| New Jersey | $80,130 |
| Massachusetts | $79,660 |
| Maryland | $79,560 |
| Rhode Island | $77,540 |
| Illinois | $76,380 |
| Delaware | $76,120 |
| Oregon | $74,900 |
| Nevada | $73,840 |
| New Hampshire | $73,280 |
| Georgia | $73,200 |
| North Dakota | $70,280 |
| Alaska | $70,050 |
| New Mexico | $68,700 |
| Minnesota | $68,620 |
| Wyoming | $67,490 |
| Wisconsin | $67,240 |
| North Carolina | $67,230 |
| Arizona | $66,710 |
| Vermont | $66,060 |
| Michigan | $65,300 |
| Texas | $65,160 |
| Arkansas | $65,000 |
| Oklahoma | $64,920 |
| Indiana | $64,900 |
| Kansas | $64,860 |
| Ohio | $64,840 |
| South Dakota | $64,520 |
| Hawaii | $63,880 |
| Montana | $63,780 |
| Florida | $63,660 |
| Iowa | $62,970 |
| South Carolina | $62,730 |
| Utah | $62,670 |
| Maine | $62,450 |
| Nebraska | $61,780 |
| Alabama | $61,710 |
| Missouri | $61,130 |
| Idaho | $61,110 |
| Tennessee | $60,900 |
| Louisiana | $60,470 |
| Kentucky | $60,150 |
| Mississippi | $59,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,460 |
| West Virginia | $56,730 |
| Guam | $49,590 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $48,980 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,950 |
| District of Columbia | $102,740 |
How do publicist salaries compare to similar careers?
Publicists earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than pharmaceutical sales representatives but more than fundraisers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical sales representative salary | $105K |
| Online merchant salary | $83K |
| Market research analyst salary | $79K |
| Copywriter salary | $77K |
| Cost estimator salary | $79K |
| Public relations specialist salary | $75K |
| Publicist salary | $75K |
| Sales representative salary | $72K |
| Advertising sales agent salary | $65K |
| Fundraiser salary | $73K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)