AUSTIN, Texas, March 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas public relations
practitioners are earning higher base pay but enjoying fewer benefits
according to a recent compensation survey conducted by the Public Relations
Foundation of Texas (PRFT) and released in early 2006.
Average base compensation has increased by $7,000-10,000 per year since
the foundation's 2000 survey, and all major Texas markets reported increases,
according to Jim Haynes, APR, chair of the board of trustees of PRFT.
Pay for practitioners has increased most markedly in the Austin market --
up 59 percent -- and has shown the lowest rate of growth in the Dallas market
where it has apparently remained almost flat.
"The statewide survey shows average base compensation among 393 PR
respondents to have been $73,000-plus in 2005," Haynes said, noting that the
reported average in the Dallas market was the state's highest at almost
$80,000, while San Antonio and South Texas respondents reported the lowest
average base pay at $58,000.
"Geographically," Haynes said, "the markets offering the highest pay
levels are Dallas and Austin. Houston and Fort Worth markets follow but are
about $10,000 per year lower, at $67,000-69,000.
"By industry," Haynes said, "the highest paying jobs appear to be in
manufacturing, high technology and energy, while nonprofit organizations,
education and state and local government jobs are among the lowest
compensated."
The survey was conducted in the fall of 2005 as a follow up to an original
survey conducted by PRFT in 2000. "We wanted to measure both progress and
changes in the Texas public relations job market," Haynes said.
With 393 respondents from within the ranks of public relations
practitioners in Texas, Haynes said the survey's results can be considered
accurate within a plus-or-minus five percent range.
"The most striking differences between the 2000 survey results and
2005's," Haynes noted, "are in the area of perks. Almost all perks, except
healthcare reimbursement plans and discounted merchandise, are reported down
dramatically compared to five years ago," he said. "Bonuses are fewer and
smaller, company-paid insurance is harder to come by and company cars are
almost extinct. Vacation and sick days are about the only perks that have
remained relatively constant."
The Public Relations Foundation of Texas is a nonprofit subsidiary of the
Texas Public Relations Association, a 50-year-old statewide organization of PR
practitioners. Its Web site is http://www.tpra.org .
The 2005 survey was designed and analyzed by Haynes of Dallas and George
Arnold of Fredericksburg and was fielded and compiled by QuickSilver
Interactive Group of Dallas. Both Haynes and Arnold are trustees of the
Foundation and past presidents of the Texas Public Relations Association.
SOURCE Public Relations Foundation of Texas
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Related links:
http://www.tpra.org
CONTACT:
George Arnold, +1-830-997-6117, or Jim
Haynes, +1-972-722-1170, both for Public Relations Foundation of
Texas
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