Choose public relations for your first job if you want the larger job market and the higher median pay, and choose journalism if you want to learn reporting standards before you represent anyone. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2025 median wage of $74,750 for public relations specialists and $62,200 for reporters, and projects 2% growth for PR against a 6% decline for reporting through 2035.
What do the numbers say about first jobs in PR and journalism?
The BLS numbers favor public relations on pay, size and outlook. The table uses the BLS figures that Everything-PR compiled in its PR vs journalism degree comparison, so check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for the current release before you quote them.
| Measure | Public relations specialists | News analysts, reporters and journalists |
|---|---|---|
| Median wage, May 2025 | $74,750 | $62,200 |
| Projected change, 2025 to 2035 | 2% growth | 6% decline |
| Jobs in 2025 | About 314,500 | About 47,100 |
| Yearly openings | About 23,000 | About 3,400 |
Reporter pay depends on the medium. The BLS median was $64,150 at television stations, $50,290 at radio stations and $49,220 at newspaper publishers.
A first-job seeker should read the openings row first. Roughly seven PR openings appear for every reporting opening, so a PR search has more doors to try. The PR job titles guide covers roles, pay by employer type and the hiring outlook in more detail.
Why would a newsroom first job help a PR career?
A newsroom first job teaches a skill PR media relations depends on: deciding, on deadline, whether a pitch is a story. In my view, a person who has made that call as a reporter pitches better than a person who has only read about it.
A reporter on deadline checks a pitch for a named source, a number, a date and a reason to run today. A graduate who has applied that checklist to real submissions writes pitches that already pass it. This is my reasoning from how newsrooms work, not a published finding, so test it against your own pitching results.
The cost is access. With about 3,400 yearly reporter openings and a projected 6% decline, a newsroom first job is harder to land and pays less than a PR role, according to the BLS.
What does a PR first job teach that a newsroom cannot?
A PR first job teaches how to work for a client or an executive, hit a goal and measure the result, which a newsroom does not ask of reporters. You answer to someone with a business objective, and you learn to turn coverage into numbers that person can use.
The measurement side now includes AI search. Everything-PR's research shows that earned media drives the citations answer engines use, which makes media relations a measurable input to brand visibility. I laid out the skills in why PR students must learn AI search, and a first PR role is where you practice them on a real account.
Crisis work is another example. A first-year PR hire can drill on timed case exercises under a mentor, as the crisis PR career guide describes.
How do the ethics codes change your day-one decisions?
The ethics codes change day-one decisions because journalists and PR professionals owe loyalty to different parties. The Society of Professional Journalists' code rests on four principles: seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently, and be accountable and transparent. The Public Relations Society of America's code lists six values: advocacy, honesty, expertise, independence, loyalty and fairness.
Advocacy is a PRSA value and is not one of SPJ's four principles, and the SPJ code asks journalists to label advocacy and commentary. In practice, a reporter asks what is true and what the public needs to know. A PR professional asks how to represent the client truthfully and effectively. Pick the question you want to answer every day.
Which first job fits you?
Pick the first job that matches the obligation you want to carry. Three tests settle most cases.
- Choose PR if you need the best odds of landing a job this year, because the BLS counts about 23,000 PR openings a year against about 3,400 for reporters.
- Choose journalism if you want editors and accuracy standards to train you first, and you accept lower pay and a shrinking field.
- Choose a program or employer that offers both tracks if you are undecided, so you can switch after your first year.
If you pick PR, ask in the interview who sets the goals for your account and how results get measured, and read the guide to getting a PR internship for how to get your first foot in the door. If you pick journalism, ask which beats lead to a communications move later. My guide on how to succeed in PR covers what an agency career demands, and the guide to PR job titles maps the roles you can grow into.
Can you switch from journalism to PR, or the other way?
You can switch in either direction, because the BLS accepts a bachelor's degree in public relations or another communications field, social science or business for PR specialists, and notes that internships at PR firms or company PR departments help. Journalism graduates are a regular source of PR hires.
Several schools run both tracks in one college. Everything-PR profiles the Missouri School of Journalism and Syracuse's Newhouse School, and its journalism school rankings and PR school rankings let you compare programs side by side. Everything-PR is published by a company owned by a shared interest group that includes me, so weigh those links accordingly.
Make the decision this month: list the two obligations above, pick the one you would defend on a bad day, and apply to the first job on that side. A first job is a two-year decision, and the switch back stays open.
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose PR or journalism for my first job?
Choose PR for the larger market and higher median pay, which the BLS puts at $74,750 against $62,200 for reporters. Choose journalism if you want to learn reporting standards before representing anyone.
Does PR pay more than journalism?
Yes. The BLS reports a May 2025 median wage of $74,750 for public relations specialists and $62,200 for news analysts, reporters and journalists.
Is journalism a shrinking field?
The BLS projects a 6% decline for reporting between 2025 and 2035, against 2% growth for public relations specialists.
Can I switch from journalism to PR later?
Yes. Journalism graduates are a regular source of PR hires, and the BLS notes that a communications degree and internships help.
How do the ethics codes differ?
The Society of Professional Journalists' code centers on truth, harm, independence and accountability. The PRSA code lists advocacy, honesty, expertise, independence, loyalty and fairness.
By Ronn Torossian. Updated on Oct 24, 2026.