News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists to Public Relations Specialists

12 of the 18 skills that matter most for public relations specialists are already at or near the typical level of news analysts, reporters, and journalists; 6 need work, led by systems evaluation and systems analysis. Whether it is realistic for you depends on your own experience, credentials and budget.

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What news analysts, reporters, and journalists do

Write commentaries, columns, or scripts, using computers.
Examine news items of local, national, and international significance to determine topics to address, or obtain assignments from editorial staff members.
Analyze and interpret news and information received from various sources to broadcast the information.
Receive assignments or evaluate leads or tips to develop story ideas.
Research a story's background information to provide complete and accurate information.

More about News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

What public relations specialists do

Respond to requests for information from the media or designate an appropriate spokesperson or information source.
Establish or maintain cooperative relationships with representatives of community, consumer, employee, or public interest groups.
Confer with production or support personnel to produce or coordinate production of advertisements or promotions.
Arrange public appearances, lectures, contests, or exhibits for clients to increase product or service awareness or to promote goodwill.
Study the objectives, promotional policies, or needs of organizations to develop public relations strategies that will influence public opinion or promote ideas, products, or services.

More about Public Relations Specialists

Transferable skills

12/18important skills of Public Relations Specialists at or near your current occupation's typical level

6partial gaps

0larger gaps

91/100skill-level coverage index (not a probability)

Strengths you can carry over

Active Listening
Speaking
Reading Comprehension
Writing
Critical Thinking

Skills to build first

Systems Evaluation
Systems Analysis
Time Management
Coordination
Persuasion

Knowledge areas to learn

Sales and Marketing
Administration and Management
Customer and Personal Service
Communications and Media

All 18 important skills (target level vs. News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists)

Public Relations Specialists typical level News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists typical level (0–7)

Active ListeningAt or above

SpeakingAt or above

Reading ComprehensionAt or above

WritingAt or above

Social PerceptivenessNear

Critical ThinkingAt or above

CoordinationPartial gap

Time ManagementPartial gap

PersuasionPartial gap

Judgment and Decision MakingPartial gap

Active LearningAt or above

Complex Problem SolvingNear

NegotiationNear

Systems EvaluationPartial gap

Service OrientationNear

Systems AnalysisPartial gap

MonitoringAt or above

InstructingNear

How this was calculated

A skill counts as important for Public Relations Specialists when its O*NET importance is 3 or more (scale 1–5).
Levels are typical O*NET levels (0–7) for each occupation.
Within 0.5 level points counts as near; up to 1.5 as partial; more as a gap.

Limits

Compares occupations in general: it does not show that you personally have a skill.
Does not cover credentials, licensing or employer requirements (see qualifications).
The coverage index is a summary of typical levels, not a probability of being hired or of a successful switch.

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0) · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e1-skills-1.0.0

Qualifications and licensing

Most common education: Bachelor's Degree (90.9% of respondents)
Related experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (31.8%)
On-the-job training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months (27.3%)
Preparation level: O*NET job zone 4: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Licensing: Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.

Check before planning

Licensing for Public Relations Specialists is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.

Limits

Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0

Pay comparison

Annual wages, U.S., May 2025
Occupation	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists	$36,240	$45,370	$62,200	$98,450	$144,140
Public Relations Specialists	$44,110	$56,260	$74,750	$100,370	$135,150

Median difference: +$12,550 a year.

Limits

Wages are what current workers earn across all experience levels, not an offer for a career changer.
Entry pay after a switch is often nearer the lower percentiles.
Benefits, taxes and local costs are not included.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e4-salary-1.0.0

Paths to consider

Partial move: roles between the two, found with the alternatives finder.
Full switch: close the priority gaps above, check credentials in your state and test the cost with the cost calculator.
No change yet: if the issue is your workplace rather than the work, the stay or switch check helps separate the two.

Many reporters move into public relations: the work still involves writing, interviewing and understanding how news is made, but from the other side of the story. The data show strong skill overlap, with the gap mostly in knowledge.

Skills that transfer

O*NET rates 18 skills as important for public relations specialists. Twelve of them are at or near the typical level of news analysts, reporters and journalists, and none is a large gap. Active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, writing and critical thinking are strengths, which are the core of both jobs.

The areas to grow are systems evaluation and systems analysis (judging whether a campaign is working), time management, coordination and persuasion. In PR you are advocating for a client or organization, not reporting neutrally, and that is a real change for many journalists.

Knowledge gaps

The largest knowledge gap is sales and marketing, followed by administration and management, customer and personal service and a smaller step in communications and media. Campaign planning, audiences and working with clients are the main new areas.

Education and experience

Both occupations are in O*NET Job Zone 4 and both mostly report a bachelor's degree (about 91% for PR specialists), so no new degree is usually needed. The most common related experience for PR specialists is two to four years (32%). Licensing for PR specialists has not been verified on this site for any state; the field does not usually require one.

Pay

In May 2025 the national median wage was $74,750 for public relations specialists and $62,200 for news analysts, reporters and journalists, about $12,550 more a year. The upper end is similar: the 75th percentile was about $100,370 for PR specialists and $98,450 for journalists.

Making the switch

Rewrite a few of your stories as press releases or pitches to show you can write for a client.
Look at in-house communications roles at organizations you have covered.
Use the stay-or-switch check if your main concern is job security rather than the work itself.

News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists to Public Relations Specialists

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What news analysts, reporters, and journalists do

What public relations specialists do

Transferable skills

Strengths you can carry over

Skills to build first

Knowledge areas to learn

Qualifications and licensing

Pay comparison

Paths to consider

Skills that transfer

Knowledge gaps

Education and experience

Pay

Making the switch

Sources