The average salary for a publicist in Washington is around $87,470 per year.
Avg Salary
Publicists earn an average yearly salary of $87,470.
Wages typically start from $60,760 and go up to $136,020.
18% above national average Updated in 2025
Publicist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level publicist earnings begin at:
$65.39 per hour
$136,020 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level publicist earnings begin at:
$53.79 per hour
$111,890 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level publicist earnings begin at:
$42.05 per hour
$87,470 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level publicist earnings begin at:
$34.20 per hour
$71,140 per year
10th percentile
Starting level publicist earnings begin at:
$29.21 per hour
$60,760 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 | $48,970 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $40,440 |
| Puerto Rico | $27,900 |
| District of Columbia | $102,740 |
How do publicist salaries compare to similar careers?
Publicists earn 7% less than similar careers in Washington. On average, they make less than talent agents but more than recruiters.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Talent agent salary | $75K |
| Advertising sales agent salary | $101K |
| Market research analyst salary | $95K |
| Online merchant salary | $100K |
| Consultant salary | $98K |
| Publicist salary | $87K |
| Public relations specialist salary | $87K |
| Sales representative salary | $80K |
| Cost estimator salary | $86K |
| Recruiter salary | $85K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)