Also called: Press Secretary, Communications Director
Handles the media and public messaging for an elected official or government office.
Press secretaries answer reporters' calls all day, write press releases and social posts, and prep the boss before interviews. When a scandal breaks, they're up all night. It's ideal for people who love writing and quick thinking.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in communications, journalism, or political science.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Communications, Journalism, Political Science, English.
Growing about average.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI drafts press releases and social posts quickly; crisis response, reporter relationships and judgment stay human.
Classes: AP English Language, Journalism, Speech and debate, Digital media class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-3031.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.