GOVERNMENT CAREERS O C C U P AT I O N S

What Does a
Government Public
Information Officer Do?
Learn About the Salary, Required
Skills & More
BY M I C H A E L R O B E R T S Updated on October 07, 2019

Image by Jo Zixuan Zhou © The Balance 2019

Government public information oYcers are

responsible for creating and enabling
communication between a government
organization and both news media outlets and
the general public. It's up to them to make sure
any statements released to the press and the
public follow agency guidelines, are accurate,
and adhere to oYcial policy or laws.

Advertisement

Chivas for Any Celebration

Chivas Open

Outside of government, in In private

organizations and companies, this job is usually
known as a public relations specialist or a
communications specialist.

Public Information Officer Duties &

Responsibilities
This job generally requires the ability to do the
following:

• Communicate critical information

e`ectively to the public

• Write press releases and prepare

information for distribution by media
outlets

• Draft speeches and arrange interviews

for government oYcials

• Respond to requests for information

from media outlets

• Be the face of a government

organization in the absence of an elected
leader

• Help maintain and uphold a certain

image and identity for government
oYcials or organizations

Federal, state, and local government agencies

have critical information that they need to get
to the general public. They disseminate the
information through a variety of strategies.

Even when an elected oYcial is out in front of

the cameras, the public information oYcer is
working behind the scenes writing speeches,
gathering information, and working with other
oYcials to plan what the organization will do
next and how information will be handled.

Public Information Officer Salary

The median wage for a government publication
oYcer is $63,530. Below is the median salary
for all public information oYcers, which
includes those working for the government and
private companies and organizations.

• Median Annual Salary: $59,300

• Top 10% Annual Salary: $112,260

• Bottom 10% Annual Salary: $32,840

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017

Education, Training & Certification

For positions that supervise a group of public
information oYcers, several years of experience
is also required, either in another public
relations position or another public information
oYcer role.

• Education: A bachelor’s degree from an

accredited college is required for most
public information oYcer jobs. Public
information oYcers typically have
degrees in journalism, communications,
public relations, English or business.

• Internships: Completing internships at

public relations irms or government
agencies can be helpful in landing a job
as a government public information
oYcer.

Public Information Officer Skills &

Competencies
To be successful in this role, you’ll generally
need the following skills and qualities

• Interpersonal skills: Public information

oYcers interact with people regularly,
from the media and press to the public
and government oYcials.

• Organizational skills: People in this

position must be able to e`ectively work
on several projects at the same time.

• Problem-solving skills: Public

information oYcers must be able to
handle diYcult and sensitive situations
with discretion and grace.

• Communication skills: They must be

able to write compelling, concise press
releases and speeches and also
e`ectively speak in public.

Job Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects
that in general, public information oYcer jobs
will grow at a rate of 9 percent from 2016
through 2026, which is slightly faster than the 7
percent average for all jobs during the same
period. There's often strong competition for this
type of job, according to the BLS.

Work Environment
Government public information oYcers usually
work in oYces, but they also travel and spend
time giving speeches, attending press
conferences, and attending meetings. These
communications oYcials tend to work in the
upper levels of an organization, at all levels of
government. Divisions within government
organizations such as police and ire
departments may have their own public
information oYcers distinct from those that
serve the rest of the agency.

Public information oYcers are often in the thick

of the action during a crisis. A career as a public
information oYcer is often stressful, but with
the stress can come excitement.

Work Schedule
Government public information oYcers usually
work full time during business hours but often
work long hours and are needed on some
evenings and weekends, as well.

Comparing Similar Jobs

People who are interested in becoming
government public information oYcers may
also consider other careers with these median
salaries:

• Public relations and fundraising

manager: $111,280

• Advertising, promotions, or marketing

manager: $129,380

• Meeting, convention, or event planners:

$48,290

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017

BASICS
O C C U PAT I O N S
Public Relations
Specialist Job Government
Description: Recreation
Salary, Skills, & Coordinator Job
More Description:
Salary, Skills, &
More

INDUSTRY BASICS CAREER

Learn What a DEVELOPMENT

Radio Plugger's Publicist Job

Job Entails: Description:
Salary, Skills, Salary, Skills, &
and More More

CAREER PROFILES

Probation OYcer
BASICS
Job Description:
Salary, Skills, & Tax Assessor
More Job Description:
Salary, Skills, &
More

O C C U PAT I O N S CAREER
Assistant City DEVELOPMENT

Manager Job Copy Editor Job

Description: Description:
Salary, Skills, & Salary, Skills, &
More More

ART MUSEUM JOBS

Curatorial
BASICS
Assistant Job
Description: Compliance
Salary, Skills, & OYcer Job
More Description:
Salary, Skills, &
More

O C C U PAT I O N S JOB LISTINGS

Prison Warden Top 10 Best

Job Description: Jobs for
Salary, Skills, & Communication
More Majors

FOLLOW US

ABOUT US COOKIE POLICY

ADVERTISE TERMS OF USE

EDITORIAL P R I VACY P O L I CY
GUIDELINES
CALIFORNIA
CAREERS P R I VACY N OT I C E

C O N TA C T

TRUSTe

The Balance Careers is part of the Dotdash

publishing family.

Ad

Wide variety of PT6 turbine engines

OPEN
worldwide. Check out our inventory.