Quick answer: The Chicago metro employs about 4,920 public relations specialists (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through target employers on the portfolio and experience they expect.
Compare communications programs enrolling now:
Licensing
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Communications is not licensed and no certification is required. Employers typically weight writing samples and internship experience, and the degree works best paired with domain knowledge from another field.
See the Illinois licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with target employers on the portfolio and experience they expect.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 22 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Public Relations Specialists in the Chicago area earn a median $77,050 per year, above the national median of $74,750 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Communications Pay in Chicago, IL
Metric
Chicago metro
Illinois
National
Median annual wage
$77,050
$76,380
$74,750
10th percentile
$49,460
$47,690
$44,110
25th percentile
$60,610
$59,400
$56,260
75th percentile
$107,110
$102,950
$100,370
90th percentile
$150,890
$139,570
$135,150
Employment
4,920
6,200
283,380
Location quotient
0.6
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Chicago median of $77,050 is above the national median of $74,750, and above the Illinois statewide median of $76,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.6 means public relations specialists are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Communications roles sit inside organizations of every kind, with extra depth where corporate headquarters, agencies and government cluster.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do public relations specialists make in Chicago?
The median annual wage for public relations specialists in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $77,050, above the national median of $74,750 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many public relations specialists work in the Chicago area?
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area employs about 4,920 public relations specialists (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do public relations specialists in Chicago need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Communications is not licensed and no certification is required. Employers typically weight writing samples and internship experience, and the degree works best paired with domain knowledge from another field. Confirm current requirements with target employers on the portfolio and experience they expect.
Can I study communications online from Chicago?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies target employers on the portfolio and experience they expect.
Is Chicago a better market than the rest of Illinois?
The Chicago metro median is $77,050 against a statewide median of $76,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Public Relations Specialists (SOC 27-3031), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
