PublicPay

Public Affairs federal salary series 1035

Full-time federal employees in the Public Affairs series earned a median of $128,410 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 17% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $104,359 and $156,281.

Median pay
$128,410
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$104,359–$156,281
25th–75th percentile
Employees
5,609
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
+3.1%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Public Affairs
All federal (full-time)

What shapes public affairs pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-13 (1,315 employees, median $133,964). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Agriculture (440 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in Maryland ($154,263) and lowest in Montana ($98,459), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

OPM withheld pay for 45% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Public Affairs pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Public Affairs pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-9 332 $70,623 $65,838–$77,687
GS-11 933 $84,984 $80,140–$91,060
GS-12 1,223 $107,411 $99,527–$116,362
GS-13 1,315 $133,964 $125,230–$146,143
GS-14 698 $163,104 $153,509–$172,700
GS-15 223 $195,163 $180,565–$197,200
IC-12 43 $106,731 $101,204–$112,657
IC-13 32 $126,216 $121,053–$137,975

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Public Affairs pay by agency

Public Affairs pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of Agriculture 440 $111,291 $95,475–$133,074
Department of Homeland Security 438 $126,587 $104,120–$153,509
Department of Veterans Affairs 366 $109,554 $89,508–$131,076
Department of the Interior 299 $115,756 $98,459–$140,224
Department of Justice 229 $163,104 $148,173–$186,650
Environmental Protection Agency 202 $129,411 $107,440–$154,276
Small Business Administration 188 $87,533 $77,026–$116,348
Department of the Treasury 186 $137,354 $120,127–$160,260
Department of Health and Human Services 180 $156,742 $134,793–$172,700
Department of State 177 $142,084 $129,904–$160,138
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 123 $139,116 $117,951–$158,758
Social Security Administration 90 $125,031 $116,738–$134,277
Department of Commerce 73 $152,789 $125,460–$174,942
Department of Energy 63 $150,013 $134,112–$163,104

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Public Affairs pay by state

The 10 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Public Affairs pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
District of Columbia 765 $154,263 $133,142–$176,853
Maryland 226 $154,263 $133,964–$172,700
California 196 $124,085 $104,452–$147,170
Virginia 152 $142,084 $121,785–$164,552
Texas 150 $126,672 $101,726–$143,208
Georgia 146 $123,812 $104,120–$146,325
Colorado 92 $120,882 $103,126–$142,412
Florida 91 $113,356 $90,140–$126,046
Pennsylvania 86 $125,104 $106,463–$146,680
New York 85 $133,794 $108,997–$156,427

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Compare public affairs pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved +3.1% from $124,599 in September 2025 to $128,410 in September 2026. Headcount went from 6,899 to 5,609 (−18.7%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

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