If you work in PR, you already have skills people pay good money for: writing that lands, media relationships, crisis instincts, and the ability to make someone sound smart on paper. The problem is most "side hustle" lists tell you to drive for Uber or sell stock photos. That's a waste of your actual value.
This is a list of side hustles for public relations professionals that use the skills you built at your day job — with real platforms, realistic income ranges, and how long it takes to get your first dollar.
Why PR Skills Translate Into Serious Side Income
PR people are underpaid for what they do. Full stop. But that same skill set — pitching, positioning, writing under pressure — is in demand from founders, small businesses, and creators who can't afford a full-time comms hire.
Here's what you can charge for without learning anything new:
- Press release writing: $150–$400 per release
- Media pitching: $500–$2,000 per campaign
- Ghostwriting LinkedIn posts for execs: $75–$200 per post
- Crisis comms consulting: $150–$300/hour
The clients exist. They just don't know how to find you yet. Below is how you reach them.
1. Freelance Media Pitching and PR Consulting
This is the most direct path. You do exactly what you do at work, but for your own clients.
How to start
- Set up a profile on Upwork and Contra. Contra takes zero commission, which matters when you're charging $500+ per project.
- Niche down immediately. "PR consultant" is invisible. "PR for early-stage SaaS founders" or "media relations for wellness brands" gets you found.
- Price by project, not hour, for pitching work. A 30-day media outreach campaign at $1,500 sounds cleaner than "$120/hour."
Realistic income
Your first client usually lands within 3–5 weeks of consistent applications. Expect $500–$2,500 per client per month. Two retainer clients at $1,500 each is $3,000/month for maybe 10 hours of work per week — because you already know how to do this fast.
Honest warning: the first two months are slow. You're building reviews and case studies. Don't quit if week three is quiet.
2. Ghostwriting Thought Leadership Content
Executives want to look smart on LinkedIn and in bylined articles, and they can't write to save their lives. You can.
What you'll actually do
- Interview the exec for 30 minutes
- Turn their rambling into 4–8 polished LinkedIn posts or one publication-ready op-ed
- Handle the pitch to outlets like Forbes councils, Fast Company, or industry trades
Where to find clients
Start on LinkedIn itself — post 3x a week about communications and comment on founders' posts. Half the people hiring ghostwriters found them because the writer was visibly good at writing. Also check SuperPath (content marketing job board) and the Superpath Slack.
Realistic income
- LinkedIn ghostwriting packages: $1,000–$2,500/month for 8–12 posts
- One-off bylined article with placement: $800–$2,000
A single exec retainer covers a car payment. Two covers rent in most cities.
3. Press Release and Newsroom Content Writing
Not glamorous, but consistent. Companies constantly need announcements written and distributed correctly.
You can find one-off gigs on Fiverr Pro (apply for Pro status — it filters out the $5 buyers) and Upwork. Charge $200–$400 per release. If you understand distribution, offer to handle PR Newswire or EIN Presswire submissions as an add-on for $100–$150.
Realistic volume: 4–8 releases a month once you have 2–3 repeat clients. That's $1,000–$3,000/month, and each release takes 60–90 minutes.
4. Teaching PR and Media Relations
You know things beginners are desperate to learn. That's a product.
Formats that work
- Cohort-based workshops on Maven — a 2-hour "How to Pitch Journalists" workshop priced at $99 with 30 attendees is $2,970 for one session
- A self-paced course on Teachable or Podia — build once, sell forever
- 1:1 coaching for PR job seekers at $75–$150/session, booked through Intro or Calendly
The honest timeline
Course creation takes real upfront effort — plan on 20–40 hours to build something worth selling. Don't expect sales in week one. But a $149 course that sells 20 copies a month is $3,000/month passive after launch. The first month is the hard part.
5. Newsletter or Paid Community for a PR Niche
If you have opinions about the industry — and you do — a paid newsletter on Substack or beehiiv can compound.
Pick a hyper-specific angle: "media relations for climate tech," "PR salary transparency," "how to pitch trade publications." General PR newsletters die. Specific ones build loyal, paying audiences.
Realistic path: it takes 6–12 months to hit 1,000 subscribers with real effort. Convert 5% to a $8/month paid tier and that's $400/month recurring — small, but it grows while you sleep and opens consulting doors.
This is the slowest hustle here. Only start it if you'll actually publish weekly.
6. Freelance Copywriting for Brands
PR writing and marketing copy are cousins. Website copy, email sequences, brand messaging — you can do all of it.
Land clients through Contra, Copyhackers job board, and cold outreach to startups that just raised funding (check Crunchbase for recent seed rounds — they have budget and no comms person).
Income range: $500–$3,000 per project. Email sequences and landing pages pay best because they're tied to revenue. A single brand messaging project can run $2,000+.
How to Find the Right Side Hustle for You
Here's the truth: you won't do all six of these. You'll do one or two well. The mistake most PR people make is starting three at once, getting overwhelmed, and quitting everything.
Pick based on two things: your energy and your timeline.
- Need cash in 30 days? Freelance media pitching or press release writing. Fastest to first dollar.
- Want something that scales? Courses or a paid newsletter — slower start, bigger ceiling.
- Hate self-promotion? Ghostwriting hides you behind other people's names, which some PR folks actually prefer.
If you're staring at this list unsure where you fit, run your situation through an AI generator built for this. Hustle IQ asks about your specific PR experience, how many hours you have, and your income goal, then builds a personalized plan with the platforms and first steps — instead of you guessing. It's a lot faster than trial-and-error over three months.
The point is to match a hustle to your real life, not the fantasy version where you have unlimited free time.
A Few Honest Rules Before You Start
- Check your employment contract. Some PR agencies have non-compete or moonlighting clauses. Read it before you take a client in the same industry.
- Don't poach your employer's clients. It's a small industry and your reputation is your entire business.
- Track your income for taxes. Set aside 25–30% from dollar one. Use Wave or a separate savings account.
- Charge more than feels comfortable. PR people chronically undercharge. If nobody balks at your rate, it's too low.
Ready to Pick Your Hustle? Start Here
You have the skills. The only thing between you and $2,000–$3,000 in extra monthly income is picking the right hustle and taking the first step this week instead of next quarter.
If you want a plan tailored to your exact experience, hours, and income goals — not a generic list — try Hustle IQ. Answer a few questions and get your personalized side hustle plan with the specific platforms and first moves for someone with your background. Plans start at $1.99.
Get your personalized plan at Hustle IQ →
Stop reading lists. Pick one. Start this weekend.