U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense) / Federal Trade Commission / Public Affairs

Job-title file

Public Affairs

Carry out the duties of this position in support of the agency's public mission.

11 employees hold this title in Federal Trade Commission. Median total compensation for the role is $189,093, below the department median of $197,200.

Employees: 11
Total payroll: $2M
Role median: $189,093
Agency median: $197,200
Comparison: Below

What the records show

Role pay distribution

Pay distribution for this role

$139,395$197,200+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How total compensation varies among the 11 people in this role. Even for one job title, pay differs with seniority, step, overtime, and tenure. Each bar is a pay range; the far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Compared with the local labor market

Public Affairs pay vs. the United States

Across all employers in the United States, the median wage for Public Relations Specialists — about 283,380 people — is $74,750. Federal Trade Commission pays a median base salary of $187,093 for this role, 150% above that figure — above the 90th percentile of local pay for the occupation.

Where Federal Trade Commission sits in the local pay range

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$44,110

$56,260

$74,750

$100,370

$135,150

Federal Trade Commission median · $187,093

The bar is the range of annual wages for Public Relations Specialists across every employer in the United States, from the 10th to the 90th percentile, with the middle 50% highlighted. The marker shows Federal Trade Commission’s median base salary for this role. Both figures are base pay only.

Median total compensation for this role at Federal Trade Commission is $189,093, which includes overtime and employer-paid benefits. The benchmark above excludes both, so total compensation is deliberately not compared against it.

Benchmark: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) covers all employers in the area — private, non-profit, and government alike — so this is a comparison against the whole local labor market for the occupation, not against private-sector pay. OEWS wages are straight-time pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials, and employer-paid benefits, so the government figure shown here is base pay on the same basis. Total compensation is not comparable to it. Job titles are matched to the closest standard occupation, so the comparison is between similar work rather than an identical job classification.

Compare departments

This role across U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense)

Public Affairs is held in 80 U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense) departments. In Federal Trade Commission, the median of $189,093 ranks #11 of 80.

Highest-paying departments for this role

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

$239,549 · 7

Fed Retirement Thrift Investment Board

$227,900 · 3

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

$207,137 · 8

Securities and Exchange Commission

$206,213 · 9

Federal Reserve System

$198,403 · 13

Federal Housing Finance Agency

$197,918 · 1

Merit Systems Protection Board

$197,200 · 1

Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight

$193,850 · 1

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

$193,190 · 17

Office of Special Counsel

$191,900 · 1

Export-Import Bank of the United States

$187,308 · 8

National Transportation Safety Board

$187,093 · 5

Median total compensation for the Public Affairs role in other U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense)departments (highest first). Each bar links to that department’s page for this role.

Same department

Other job titles in Federal Trade Commission

Accounting 11
Administrative Officer 17
Budget Analysis 5
Contracting 11
Economist 100
General Arts and Information 15
General Attorney 846
General Legal and Kindred Administration 14
Government Information Specialist 5
Human Resources Management 23
Information Technology Management 45
Management and Program Analysis 24
Miscellaneous Administration and Program 128
Paralegal Specialist 77
Program Management 13
Security Administration 10
Social Science 6
Statistics 12
Writing and Editing 5

Record list

Employees with this title

Page 1

Juliana Henderson

Public Affairs/Federal Trade Commission

2026 total comp

$197,200

Sub-department: Federal Trade Commission
Base pay: $197,200
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $197,200
Pay grade: 15
Work city: Washington
Work state: District of Columbia
Middle name: Gruenwald

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $197,200
Agency Code (OPM): FT
Agency Sub-element Code (OPM): FT00
Basic Pay (before locality): $151,662
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Duty Station State: DC
Length of Service (Years): 13
Occupation Code (OPM): 1035

Juliana Henderson holds the role of Public Affairs at Federal Trade Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. In 2026, their total compensation was $197,200. Their pay grade is 15.

Joseph Simonson

Public Affairs/Federal Trade Commission

2026 total comp

$197,200

Sub-department: Federal Trade Commission
Base pay: $197,200
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $197,200
Pay grade: 15
Work city: Washington
Work state: District of Columbia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $197,200
Agency Code (OPM): FT
Agency Sub-element Code (OPM): FT00
Basic Pay (before locality): $164,301
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Duty Station State: DC
Length of Service (Years): 1
Occupation Code (OPM): 1035

Joseph Simonson works as a Public Affairs for Federal Trade Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. Joseph earned $197,200 in 2026. Their pay grade is 15.

Richard Diamond

Public Affairs/Federal Trade Commission

2026 total comp

$197,200

Sub-department: Federal Trade Commission
Base pay: $197,200
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $197,200
Pay grade: 15
Work city: Washington
Work state: District of Columbia
Middle name: Patrick

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $197,200
Agency Code (OPM): FT
Agency Sub-element Code (OPM): FT00
Basic Pay (before locality): $164,301
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Duty Station State: DC
Length of Service (Years): 14
Occupation Code (OPM): 1035

Richard Diamond holds the role of Public Affairs at Federal Trade Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. In 2026, their total compensation was $197,200. Their pay grade is 15.

Christopher Bissex

Public Affairs/Federal Trade Commission

2025 total comp

$195,200

Sub-department: Federal Trade Commission
Base pay: $195,200
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $195,200
Pay grade: 15
Work city: Washington
Work state: District of Columbia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $195,200
Agency Code (OPM): FT
Agency Sub-element Code (OPM): FT00
Basic Pay (before locality): $162,672
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Duty Station State: DC
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 1035

Christopher Bissex works as a Public Affairs for Federal Trade Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. Christopher earned $195,200 in 2025. Their pay grade is 15.

Douglas Farrar

Public Affairs/Federal Trade Commission

2024 total comp

$191,900

Sub-department: Federal Trade Commission
Base pay: $191,900
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $191,900
Pay grade: 15
Work city: Washington
Work state: District of Columbia
Middle name: L.

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $191,900
Agency Code (OPM): FT
Agency Sub-element Code (OPM): FT00
Basic Pay (before locality): $159,950
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Duty Station State: DC
Length of Service (Years): 1
Occupation Code (OPM): 1035

At Federal Trade Commission, Douglas Farrar serves as a Public Affairs based in Washington, District of Columbia. Their 2024 pay totaled $191,900. They are classified at grade 15.

Nicole Drayton

Public Affairs/Federal Trade Commission

2026 total comp

$189,093

Sub-department: Federal Trade Commission
Base pay: $187,093
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $2,000
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $189,093
Pay grade: 14
Work city: Washington
Work state: District of Columbia
Middle name: Michele

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $187,093
Agency Code (OPM): FT
Agency Sub-element Code (OPM): FT00
Basic Pay (before locality): $139,684
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Duty Station State: DC
Length of Service (Years): 18
Occupation Code (OPM): 1035

Nicole Drayton holds the role of Public Affairs at Federal Trade Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. In 2026, their total compensation was $189,093. Their pay grade is 14.

Mitchell Katz

Public Affairs/Federal Trade Commission

2025 total comp

$185,234

Sub-department: Federal Trade Commission
Base pay: $185,234
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $185,234
Pay grade: 14
Work city: Washington
Work state: District of Columbia
Middle name: Jay

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $185,234
Agency Code (OPM): FT
Agency Sub-element Code (OPM): FT00
Basic Pay (before locality): $138,296
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Duty Station State: DC
Length of Service (Years): 33
Occupation Code (OPM): 1035

Mitchell Katz holds the role of Public Affairs at Federal Trade Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. In 2025, their total compensation was $185,234. Their pay grade is 14.

Jack Mayfield

Public Affairs/Federal Trade Commission

2025 total comp

$185,234

Sub-department: Federal Trade Commission
Base pay: $185,234
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $185,234
Pay grade: 14
Work city: Washington
Work state: District of Columbia
Middle name: Daniel

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $185,234
Agency Code (OPM): FT
Agency Sub-element Code (OPM): FT00
Basic Pay (before locality): $138,296
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Duty Station State: DC
Length of Service (Years): 12
Occupation Code (OPM): 1035

Jack Mayfield works as a Public Affairs for Federal Trade Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. Jack earned $185,234 in 2025. Their pay grade is 14.

Victoria Caslow

Public Affairs/Federal Trade Commission

2026 total comp

$165,315

Sub-department: Federal Trade Commission
Base pay: $163,615
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,700
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $165,315
Pay grade: 14
Work city: Denver
Work state: Colorado
Middle name: Alexandra

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $163,615
Agency Code (OPM): FT
Agency Sub-element Code (OPM): FT00
Basic Pay (before locality): $125,356
Duty Station Code: 080600031
Duty Station State: CO
Length of Service (Years): 6
Occupation Code (OPM): 1035

Victoria Caslow holds the role of Public Affairs at Federal Trade Commission based in Denver, Colorado. In 2026, their total compensation was $165,315. Their pay grade is 14.

Victoria Graham

Public Affairs/Federal Trade Commission

2025 total comp

$161,991

Sub-department: Federal Trade Commission
Base pay: $161,991
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $161,991
Pay grade: 14
Work city: Denver
Work state: Colorado
Middle name: Alexandra

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $161,991
Agency Code (OPM): FT
Agency Sub-element Code (OPM): FT00
Basic Pay (before locality): $124,112
Duty Station Code: 080600031
Duty Station State: CO
Length of Service (Years): 2
Occupation Code (OPM): 1035

At Federal Trade Commission, Victoria Graham serves as a Public Affairs based in Denver, Colorado. Their 2025 pay totaled $161,991. They are classified at grade 14.

Rebecca Kern

Public Affairs/Federal Trade Commission

2024 total comp

$139,395

Sub-department: Federal Trade Commission
Base pay: $139,395
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $139,395
Pay grade: 14
Work city: Washington
Work state: District of Columbia
Middle name: Marlene

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $139,395
Agency Code (OPM): FT
Agency Sub-element Code (OPM): FT00
Basic Pay (before locality): $104,604
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Duty Station State: DC
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 1035

Rebecca Kern is a Public Affairs at Federal Trade Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. 2024 total compensation came to $139,395. They are classified at grade 14.