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Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Public Relations Specialists

Part of Marketing, in the Marketing Communications pathway.

Bright outlookJob zone 4: considerable preparationO*NET 27-3031.00

What the work is

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.

On a typical day

  • Respond to requests for information from the media or designate an appropriate spokesperson or information source.
  • Establish or maintain cooperative relationships with representatives of community, consumer, employee, or public interest groups.
  • Confer with production or support personnel to produce or coordinate production of advertisements or promotions.
  • Arrange public appearances, lectures, contests, or exhibits for clients to increase product or service awareness or to promote goodwill.
  • Study the objectives, promotional policies, or needs of organizations to develop public relations strategies that will influence public opinion or promote ideas, products, or services.
  • Confer with other managers to identify trends or key group interests or concerns or to provide advice on business decisions.

What it pays

$64,690
Median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro
New workers start near $40,100
Experienced workers reach $107,020
  1. $40k10th
  2. $49k25th
  3. $65kMedian
  4. $83k75th
  5. $107k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $40,100, 25th $48,710, Median $64,690, 75th $83,280, 90th $107,020

About 1,870 people do this job in the San Antonio area.

Job outlook

Alamo region (Bexar and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034. U.S. figures from the BLS for comparison.

+13.5%

employment change in the Alamo region, 2,211 to 2,510 jobs · U.S. +5%

220

openings a year in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 27,600

2,211

employed in the Alamo region in 2024 · U.S. 315,900

Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

  1. Speaking4.3
  2. Active Listening4.1
  3. Social Perceptiveness4.1
  4. Reading Comprehension4.0
  5. Writing4.0
  6. Critical Thinking4.1
  7. Coordination4.0
  8. Time Management3.9

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

  1. Bachelor's degree91%
  2. Master's degree9%

Job zone 4, considerable preparation: Usually a bachelor's degree, sometimes a strong associate plus experience.

Alamo programs that lead here

  • Northeast Lakeview
  • Northwest Vista
  • Palo Alto
  • St. Philip's
  • San Antonio
  1. Speech Communication

    Transfer pre-major

  2. Speech and Communication Studies

    Degree · Transfer pre-major · Creative & Communication Arts

  3. Speech Communication

    Degree · Transfer pre-major · Creative & Communication Arts

  4. Speech Communication

    Transfer pre-major · Creative & Communication Arts

  5. Speech

    Transfer pre-major · Creative & Communication Arts

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