The Los Angeles chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA) recently released its second independent economic impact report. The newest analysis reveals that the public relations industry contributes $1.4 billion to Los Angeles County’s economy annually, while each new public relations job creates one additional new job.
The study, commissioned by PRSA-LA and conducted by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. (LAEDC), a trusted source for local economic data, examined:
- The economic impact of the 430 public relations agencies in Los Angeles County and the estimated 2,830 people, including professionals and administrative staff, employed by consultancies and 930 independent practitioners; and
- Employment and wages of 9,450 public relations professionals who work across all industries, including agencies, nonprofit, financial services, aerospace, government, colleges, and trade associations.
“While the value of public relations to a business organization has increased and been demonstrated time and again in today’s competitive marketplace, this is the first study to look at the economic impact the profession has on a city as a contributing industry,” said Jean Gonsoulin, president of PRSA-LA and president of The Gonsoulin Group. “What we’ve seen in the findings clearly shows that public relations has assumed an important place in LA County’s economic picture, generating more than $1.4 billion in economic activity each year.”
Some of the study’s main findings included:
- Approximately 9,450 public relations professionals work in a variety of industries across the economy, earning a total of $788 million.
- Public relations agencies in Los Angeles County employed at least 3,760 individuals in 2013, earning labor income of $309 million.
- Average wages in the public relations industry in 2013 were $86,421, a premium of 57 percent more than the average wages paid across all industries in Los Angeles County.
- The industry generated more than $1.4 billion in economic activity in the county in 2013.
Total Economic Impact: $510 million in labor income for Los Angeles County workers, up from $445 million in previous study
The total economic impact of public relations agencies goes beyond the number of workers and their wages. The combined direct, indirect and induced effects of public relations agencies in Los Angeles County helped maintain 7,480 jobs across all industries, a 16 percent gain over its jobs impact in 2008. These jobs generated a total labor income of $510 million, and state and local tax payments of $52 million, according to the report.
Value of One PR Job: One public relations job actually creates one additional new job
According the study, each new job in public relations indirectly creates an additional job. These two new jobs have total annual wages and benefits of $135,470, and they produce annual state and local revenue of $13,730 in taxes and fees. “It certainly makes for a compelling case for the value of the public relations industry to a city’s wellbeing, particularly here in LA,” said Gonsoulin.
Salary Analysis: Average pay in LA public relations jobs exceeds national average
While public relations jobs in Los Angeles remained relatively flat from 2008 to 2013, opportunities in the field have expanded to include content development and paid or owned media, and the industry’s earning potential has grown. The analysis shows that Los Angeles-based public relations workers earned an average annual wage of $86,421, which is 57 percent above the average wages paid across all industries in Los Angeles County. In addition, public relations managers earned an average of $118,560 in 2013, which is higher than the national average wage for PR managers of $111,260. Total annual earnings for public relations professionals in Los Angeles County across all industries reached $788 million in 2013.
You may access the full report via the PRSA-LA chapter website.
