Exclusive: Data shows PR jobs aren't created equal

With communication skills in high demand, the challenge isn't finding an open role — it’s finding one that fits your lifestyle and rewards your work.

Driving the news: A new study shared first with Axios, "The State of PR Salaries" from public relations platform Muck Rack, proves something we all suspected: PR is an overworked and often underpaid industry.

• Not all jobs are created equal, but most PR pros work more than 40 hours per week and make less than $70,000 annually, the study found.
• The sweet spot is in the airline/aviation and internet/software sectors, where a majority of PR professionals make over $100,000 and work a normal 40-hour week.

By the numbers: The lowest-paying industry is the entertainment, media and publishing sector with 42% making less than $70,000 annually, followed by travel and tourism.

• Meanwhile, roughly half of those in the airline/aviation and internet/software industries make $150,000 or more.
• When it comes to hours, people in the government, travel and tourism and entertainment, media and publishing sectors are most likely to put in more than 51 hours per week, while those in accounting, airline/aviation and e-commerce report having the lightest load.

What we’re watching: As inflation rates rise and the job market remains tight, expect overworked communicators to negotiate for higher salaries — or quit in favor of a better work-life balance.

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