Where the pay is good… and opportunity comes knocking

by Destin Rice

As Samantha Jones walks stylishly into one of Manhattan’s finest restaurants, she adjusts her designer sunglasses, touches up her lipstick and slips out of her business jacket while she orders a drink.

Sex and the City’s Samantha Jones, played by actress Kim Cattrell, is one of Manhattan’s most successful fictional public relations executives. However, when one chooses a career in public relations and decides where to reside, perhaps Samantha’s prosperous lifestyle comes more easily in states other than New York.

When choosing a place to live and start a career, an important factor to consider is a location with high employment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2006 data, states with the highest published employment concentrations for public relations specialists are the District of Columbia, Vermont, Colorado, Massachusetts and South Dakota.

States with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:

Another important factor to consider is highest-paying states for public relations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the District of Columbia, Nevada, Virginia, Alaska and Massachusetts as the top-paying states for public relations specialists.

Top-paying states for this occupation:

So, rather than follow the stiletto footsteps of Samantha Jones down the bustling streets of Manhattan, perhaps the better decision is to strut confidently down Pennsylvania Avenue or head down the path toward Capitol Hill.