What Can You Do with a Public Relations Degree? Online Jobs, Career Paths, and Salary Expectations

When I was finishing my Public Relations degree a decade ago, the future looked decidedly local. It meant endless press release printing, sitting in cramped newsrooms, and hoping a traditional reporter would pick up my story. Fast forward to today, and the world of PR has completely transformed. It’s digital, it’s global, and most importantly for us recent grads or career changers: it’s incredibly friendly to remote work.

If you’ve been wondering, “Is my PR degree actually useful for a high-paying online job?” the answer is a resounding yes. PR is no longer just about media relations; it’s about digital reputation management, content strategy, and brand storytelling—skills perfectly suited for the laptop lifestyle.

This comprehensive guide will break down the exact online jobs you can pursue with a PR degree, the skills you need to nail them, and the salary expectations that come with this flexible career path.

The Remote Reality: Why PR is Perfect for Online Work

The core of public relations—communication, persuasion, and relationship building—is inherently location-independent. Unlike jobs that require physical oversight, PR success is measured by measurable outputs: articles published, social engagement generated, and crises averted. These tasks are accomplished with a keyboard and an internet connection.

A PR degree equips you with fundamental skills that are highly valued in the digital workspace, making the transition to remote work seamless:

• Writing Proficiency: Mastering the art of writing compelling, concise copy is crucial for everything from email outreach to blog posts and internal corporate communications.
• Crisis Management: The speed of social media means crises unfold online. A PR background provides the strategic framework necessary to manage brand reputation in real-time.
• Strategic Planning: Your degree taught you how to build communication campaigns from the ground up, linking messaging directly to business objectives—a vital skill for any online strategist.
• Media Savvy: While the media has changed (think podcasters, influencers, and bloggers), the principles of pitching and relationship management remain the same.

The flexibility of the field means that many organizations, from startups to major Fortune 500 companies, are actively recruiting for full-time remote PR positions, recognizing that talent often lives outside their geographical headquarters.

Top Remote PR Jobs You Can Land (And What They Pay)

Forget the old image of a PR flack waiting by the fax machine. Modern remote PR jobs are diverse, digitally focused, and come with competitive salaries that reward strategic thinking and performance. Here are some of the most lucrative remote career paths available to someone with a Public Relations degree, along with typical average annual salary ranges in the U.S.

1. Digital PR Specialist / Outreach Manager

This role bridges traditional PR and digital marketing. The primary goal is building high-quality backlinks and gaining mentions on reputable websites (not just news sites, but industry blogs and high-authority publications). This directly impacts a client’s SEO performance.

• Key Tasks: “Unlinked mention” tracking, broken link building, managing HARO queries, developing data-driven content that earns links.
• Skill Focus: SEO knowledge (LSI keywords), strong relationship building, content strategy.
• Average Annual Salary: $55,000 - $85,000 (Entry to Mid-Level)

2. Social Media Manager / Content Strategist

A PR degree holder is uniquely positioned to handle social media because they understand two critical elements: messaging consistency and rapid response crisis management. This role involves more than posting pretty pictures; it involves managing the entire online voice of a brand.

• Key Tasks: Developing monthly content calendars, community engagement, monitoring sentiment, handling customer complaints and potential brand crises.
• Skill Focus: Adaptability to different platform algorithms, proficiency in analytics tools, excellent judgment under pressure.
• Average Annual Salary: $60,000 - $95,000 (Mid-Level)

3. Corporate Communications Specialist (Internal & External)

Many large organizations rely on remote corporate communications specialists to manage messaging for internal employees and external stakeholders. This role requires discretion, superior writing skills, and an understanding of organizational structure.

• Key Tasks: Drafting executive messaging (speeches, emails), preparing quarterly reports, managing employee announcements, communicating policy changes.
• Skill Focus: Professionalism, clarity, internal stakeholder management, investor relations (for some roles).
• Average Annual Salary: $75,000 - $120,000+ (Senior and Specialized Roles often push past $130k)

4. Freelance PR Consultant or Boutique Agency Owner

The highest earning potential often lies in entrepreneurship. A PR degree provides the foundational credibility needed to launch your own remote public relations consultancy. You can specialize in niche areas like tech PR, financial services, or healthcare communications.

• Key Tasks: Client acquisition, strategy development, campaign execution, billing, and managing subcontractors.
• Skill Focus: Sales, networking, business management, deep industry expertise.
• Average Annual Salary: Highly variable, but successful consultants can easily exceed $150,000, charging hourly rates from $75 to $250+.

The transition to remote work hasn't just opened up job titles; it has globalized the talent pool, meaning you can often work for companies located in higher cost-of-living areas, potentially boosting your take-home pay even if you live in a lower cost area.

Maximizing Your PR Degree: Skills and Strategy for Higher Remote Salaries

While your PR degree provides the theoretical foundation, maximizing your salary in the competitive remote landscape requires continuous upskilling and strategic specialization. The highest-paid remote PR professionals aren't just great writers; they are measurable strategists.

Embrace Data and Analytics

In the digital world, “impressions” and “clippings” aren't enough. You must be able to prove ROI. Learning how to use tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, and various social listening platforms will dramatically increase your value. If you can directly tie your communication efforts to sales conversions or measurable brand uplift, you transition from a communications role to a profit-driving strategy role.

Specialize Early

Generalists are plentiful; specialists are invaluable. Think about where your passion lies: FinTech PR, B2B SaaS Public Relations, or perhaps non-profit communications. Focusing on a specific industry allows you to command a higher salary because you understand the unique regulatory environment, key media players, and technical terminology of that field.

Specialization also helps you transition into high-level roles:

• Director of Communications (Remote): Typically requires 8-10 years of experience and deep expertise, often commanding salaries well over $130,000. These roles manage global strategy and crisis response.
• VP of Public Affairs: Focuses on government relations and complex stakeholder management. This position leverages advanced skills taught in your PR curriculum and often surpasses $160,000.

Focus on Thought Leadership and Executive Visibility

One of the most complex, yet highest-paid, remote PR functions is managing the personal brand and visibility of C-suite executives. This involves crafting unique narratives, securing speaking engagements (often virtual), and ghostwriting high-level articles or books.

This type of high-touch media relations specialist work requires extreme trust and impeccable ethical standards, making it a premium service within the remote PR field.

Your public relations degree is more powerful now than ever before. It’s the essential key that unlocks high-demand, high-paying remote opportunities in the world of digital strategy and corporate communications. By combining your foundational knowledge with specialized digital skills, you aren’t just limited to a local office; the entire global digital workplace is your domain.

Start mastering those analytics, define your niche, and watch your remote PR salary climb.