Source: https://deftridge.com/rates/pr-and-communications/united-states/ Title: PR & Communications rate in the United States | Deftridge Summary: PR & Communications pay in the United States: median wage $39 an hour, typical part-time contractor rate $55. The rate is on every task, before you apply. United States · **Updated November 4, 2026** # PR & Communications hourly rate in United States The market median wage for a PR & Communications in the United States is **$39.39 an hour**. A senior part-time contractor typically receives **$55 an hour** on Deftridge. **$55/hr** typical contractor rate, senior **$39.39/hr** median wage **$30-53** middle half of wages **$1,190** a month at 5 hours a week ## PR & Communications wage percentiles in United States Employee wages for the role. The yellow row is the median. | Percentile | Per hour | 5 h a week, per month | Full time, per year | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 10th | $23.25 | $500 | $48,400 | | 25th | $29.65 | $640 | $61,700 | | Median | $39.39 | $850 | $81,900 | | 75th | $52.89 | $1,150 | $110,000 | | 90th | $71.22 | $1,540 | $148,100 | Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025; aged to October 2026; about 280,590 people employed in the role. [How rates are built](https://deftridge.com/rates/methodology/). ## United States in numbers What sets the United States apart for a PR & Communications, from the same sources as the table above. - **$57.32** highest median wage, District of Columbia - **$30.52** lowest median wage, West Virginia - **280,590** people employed in the role - **$66.91** median wage in the San Jose metro area, the highest in the country - **$35** country floor: no United States rate is published below it - Self-employment tax is 15.3%: 12.4% Social Security plus 2.9% Medicare; the employer-equivalent half is deductible in working out adjusted gross income. [Source](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes) - For 2026 the first $184,500 of combined wages, tips and net self-employment earnings is subject to the Social Security part. [Source](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes) ## What contractors receive The Deftridge rate for a PR & Communications in the United States by level and by format. The company adds 15% on top; you keep all of the rate shown. | Level | Per hour | Per month at 5 h/week | | --- | --- | --- | | Senior | $55 | $1,190 | | Manager | $70 | $1,520 | | Director | $85 | $1,840 | - Regular role **$55** - One-off task **$65** - Task bundle **$60** ## PR & Communications pay by region in United States Typical contractor rate for a senior PR & Communications, highest first; 9 of 51 places shown. | Place | Median wage | Contractor rate | | --- | --- | --- | | District of Columbia | $57.32 | $85 | | California | $53.88 | $80 | | Washington | $48.01 | $70 | | New York | $46.34 | $65 | | Connecticut | $44.30 | $65 | | Delaware | $44.28 | $65 | | Virginia | $43.78 | $65 | | Utah | $43.16 | $65 | | Rhode Island | $42.65 | $60 | ## Highest-paying metro areas Median employee wage for the role in the metro area (BLS OEWS). - [San Jose $66.91/hr median wage · range $44-106](https://deftridge.com/rates/pr-and-communications/california/) - [San Francisco $65.10/hr median wage · range $49-92](https://deftridge.com/rates/pr-and-communications/california/) - [Sacramento $56.43/hr median wage · range $47-67](https://deftridge.com/rates/pr-and-communications/california/) - [Washington, D.C. $55.89/hr median wage · range $41-77](https://deftridge.com/rates/pr-and-communications/district-of-columbia/) - [Lexington Park $55.57/hr median wage · range $39-77](https://deftridge.com/rates/pr-and-communications/maryland/) - [Hanford $53.88/hr median wage · range $41-72](https://deftridge.com/rates/pr-and-communications/california/) - [Vallejo $53.33/hr median wage · range $41-72](https://deftridge.com/rates/pr-and-communications/california/) - [Salt Lake City $53.16/hr median wage · range $33-61](https://deftridge.com/rates/pr-and-communications/utah/) - [Santa Maria $52.29/hr median wage · range $40-66](https://deftridge.com/rates/pr-and-communications/california/) - [Oxnard $52.18/hr median wage · range $39-69](https://deftridge.com/rates/pr-and-communications/california/) ## Questions about pay, fees and privacy The same rules apply to every task, so they live on two pages: [Pricing](https://deftridge.com/pricing/) explains the 15% fee, prepayment and when you are paid; [How it works](https://deftridge.com/how-it-works/) covers matching, what a company sees and side work next to a job. [PR & Communications rates in every country](https://deftridge.com/rates/pr-and-communications/) · [PR & Communications jobs in United States](https://deftridge.com/jobs/pr-and-communications/united-states/) · [Methodology](https://deftridge.com/rates/methodology/)