How much money did/do you make starting out? The duties of a publicist can differ, but they usually include pitching the client to the media; scheduling interviews; drafting press releases; putting together an electronic press kit; scanning the media; planning events; helping write speeches, and so on. Learn about salaries, benefits, salary satisfaction and where you could earn the most. Salaries depend on who is hiring and where the job is located. Is there something interesting about the author that might make for a good story? A publicist can be referred to as a ‘public relations specialist’. Publicists work with many different parties, including book editors, music critics, music journalists, radio DJs, TV producers, personal managers, recording artists, booking agents, and record label representatives. Aurelio Locsin has been writing professionally since 1982. People interested in a publicist career also consider the following career paths, listed with their median annual salaries: Rachel Deahl is a columnist, news director, and e-book author for Publishers Weekly who has had a career in journalism or publishing since 2002. He published his first book in 1996 and is a frequent contributor to many online publications, specializing in consumer, business and technical topics. Individuals who want to become a Publicist will need a combination of personal characteristics, educational background and experience in the field in order to succeed in this profession. Bear in mind that the competition in the industry is extremely strong (especially, for the jobs at organizations with large media exposure and the places at public relations and advertisement firms). Your next move towards a publicist job could involve getting hired by a more prestigious firm, or working with well-known clients. Publicists get paid a mean $60,400 per year as of May 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The job outlook for Public Relations professionals is expected to grow at an average rate. Through 2022, this profession is expected to grow by 12 percent adding that amount of jobs in this profession. In the mid-80s, when I started out, I earned $24,000 a year. Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. An internship will give you valuable experience and job history. Publicists generate media coverage for their client and the main aim of the specialists is to promote the client to the public. If you’re interested in being a publicist, you’ll need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in public relations, communication or journalism. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Wages for Public Relations Specialists, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: What Public Relations Managers and Specialists Do, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Work Environment for Public Relations Managers and Specialists, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: How to Become a Public Relations Manager or Specialist, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Job Outlook for Public Relations Managers and Specialists. It will take you 4 years to obtain a bachelor’s degree and 1-2 years to get a master’s degree. This growth is as fast average when compared to other professions. During an internship, individuals are encouraged to gain skills on communication with different mediums including print newspapers, local media stations and other news sources. How much does it cost to become a publicist? New York was next with 20,420 jobs at a mean $69,190 per year, followed by Texas, with 18,050 professionals making a mean annual $58,550. You can also join a professional association such as The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), which is one of the biggest professional associations for PR professionals in the US. For cities, the most jobs were in New York City, where 15,780 earned a mean $73,800 yearly, and Washington, D.C., with 12,690 publicists averaging $81,700 per year. Some individuals can earn up towards $101,030 per year. Although the majority of publicists hold regular office hours, they must be available to their clients when needed. Additionally, some colleges and universities have PR-related clubs or student PR associations that can provide valuable networking opportunities. Publicists generally have long hours, with almost one-third working more than 40 hours a week in 2010, reports the BLS. Individuals pursuing this career will also need strong communication and interpersonal skills, be able to network with media professionals and showcase strong writing skills. There are different types of publicists – special publicity consultants, media agents, unit publicists, public relations publicists, and press agents. The salary range below does not necessarily represent the potentially much larger salaries of publicists who work with celebrity clients. You can look forward to job increases of 23 percent from 2010 to 2020, according to the BLS, which is greater than the average 14 percent expected for all occupations. You could also open your own PR firm, or look for a job as a Publicity Director. Salary estimates are based on 479 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by Publicist employees. Publicists work in the Public Relations field and are responsible for creating an image that compliments their client and their work. However, individuals who are persistent in following their passion and who are able to build relationships in the media will become successful with time. Between 2018 and 2028, the publicist job market is expected to increase by 6%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These general announcements are sent out en masse to the press to alert them of news and, hopefully, generate stories. For example, individuals working for colleges, universities and professional schools can expect a median annual wage of approximately $54,380 while those who work for advertising or public relations firms earn a median salary of approximately $77,010 per year.