Public relations managers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $82,410 | $39.62 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $146,910 | $70.63 |
| Mean (average) | $164,760 | $79.21 |
| 90th percentile | $284,990 | $137.01 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Public relations managers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 50 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $98,210 | $63,380 | $176,630 | 540 | 0.53 |
| Alaska | $120,920 | $73,550 | $193,980 | 380 | 2.39 |
| Arizona | $114,400 | $80,000 | $213,370 | 1,170 | 0.75 |
| Arkansas | $104,170 | $57,810 | $305,140 | 340 | 0.54 |
| California | $167,980 | $97,800 | $300,800 | 9,400 | 1.07 |
| Colorado | $162,870 | $98,180 | $238,240 | ||
| Connecticut | $154,210 | $78,130 | $288,180 | 890 | 1.08 |
| Delaware | $153,010 | $107,670 | $265,000 | 170 | 0.73 |
| District of Columbia | $197,600 | $117,350 | $346,130 | 7,410 | 21.92 |
| Florida | $127,550 | $73,050 | $215,050 | 2,990 | 0.63 |
| Georgia | $134,500 | $87,120 | $227,310 | 1,540 | 0.65 |
| Hawaii | $105,010 | $73,090 | $174,520 | 390 | 1.29 |
| Idaho | $98,160 | $60,070 | $152,480 | ||
| Illinois | $131,990 | $75,730 | $221,440 | 2,770 | 0.94 |
| Indiana | $114,960 | $75,520 | $198,300 | 600 | 0.39 |
| Iowa | $120,730 | $74,040 | $194,860 | 630 | 0.84 |
| Kansas | $129,760 | $83,430 | $196,150 | 300 | 0.43 |
| Kentucky | $112,320 | $73,470 | $171,620 | 510 | 0.53 |
| Louisiana | $94,380 | $66,150 | $183,030 | 320 | 0.34 |
| Maine | $166,940 | $77,970 | $195,860 | ||
| Maryland | $149,380 | $82,180 | $282,160 | 1,530 | 1.15 |
| Massachusetts | $171,740 | $93,220 | $315,920 | 2,170 | 1.24 |
| Michigan | $117,900 | $70,680 | $213,360 | 1,720 | 0.81 |
| Minnesota | $139,040 | $86,110 | $208,970 | 1,230 | 0.87 |
| Mississippi | $97,160 | $67,750 | $190,420 | 170 | 0.31 |
| Missouri | $114,710 | $74,350 | $203,610 | 760 | 0.54 |
| Montana | $99,990 | $72,980 | $147,470 | 180 | 0.72 |
| Nebraska | $104,440 | $64,580 | $182,760 | 330 | 0.68 |
| Nevada | $114,130 | $66,630 | $211,510 | 450 | 0.6 |
| New Hampshire | $132,660 | $86,770 | $212,900 | 330 | 0.99 |
| New Jersey | $174,980 | $99,370 | $288,690 | 2,420 | 1.17 |
| New Mexico | $115,260 | $77,160 | $200,860 | 250 | 0.58 |
| New York | $180,880 | $108,180 | $323,190 | 7,710 | 1.65 |
| North Carolina | $132,280 | $79,320 | $229,270 | 1,510 | 0.63 |
| North Dakota | $114,110 | $77,350 | $167,840 | 130 | 0.61 |
| Ohio | $118,670 | $59,540 | $211,290 | 1,400 | 0.53 |
| Oklahoma | $96,030 | $59,990 | $184,810 | 490 | 0.59 |
| Oregon | $131,190 | $77,070 | $209,670 | 1,410 | 1.49 |
| Pennsylvania | $118,050 | $68,890 | $206,910 | 2,210 | 0.76 |
| Puerto Rico | $72,290 | $48,890 | $122,420 | 220 | 0.49 |
| Rhode Island | $156,080 | $83,400 | $252,810 | 210 | 0.85 |
| South Carolina | $104,920 | $65,160 | $212,260 | 650 | 0.58 |
| Tennessee | $127,390 | $58,420 | $192,800 | 700 | 0.44 |
| Texas | $126,670 | $78,400 | $220,000 | 8,190 | 1.21 |
| Utah | $132,670 | $80,370 | $262,990 | 580 | 0.7 |
| Vermont | Data unavailable | 280 | 1.9 | ||
| Virginia | $176,340 | $106,880 | $312,040 | 2,610 | 1.32 |
| Washington | $159,440 | $104,500 | $255,280 | 1,610 | 0.94 |
| West Virginia | $82,380 | $59,300 | $161,120 | 70 | 0.2 |
| Wisconsin | $113,980 | $73,700 | $216,460 | 1,010 | 0.71 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for public relations managers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 6,100. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.4%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for public relations managers
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- 5 years or more
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Communication, General CIP 09.0100
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric CIP 09.0101
- Mass Communication/Media Studies CIP 09.0102
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication CIP 09.0900
- Public Relations/Image Management CIP 09.0902
- Political Communication CIP 09.0904
- International and Intercultural Communication CIP 09.0907
- Communication Management and Strategic Communications CIP 09.0909
- Business/Corporate Communications, General CIP 52.0501
- Business/Corporate Communications, Other CIP 52.0599
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, government officials, and media representatives and use these relationships to develop new business opportunities.
- Assign, supervise, and review the activities of public relations staff.
- Identify main client groups and audiences, determine the best way to communicate publicity information to them, and develop and implement a communication plan.
- Develop, implement, or maintain crisis communication plans.
- Write interesting and effective press releases, prepare information for media kits, and develop and maintain company internet or intranet web pages.
- Manage communications budgets.
- Develop and maintain the company's corporate image and identity, which includes the use of logos and signage.
- Facilitate consumer relations or the relationship between parts of the company, such as the managers and employees, or different branch offices.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Salesforce software (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Canva (hot technology)
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Google Analytics (hot technology)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- Google Workspace software (hot technology)
- HubSpot software (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Persuasion, Complex Problem Solving, Coordination, Service Orientation, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Communications Director, Communications Manager, Community Relations Director, PR Director (Public Relations Director), Public Affairs Director.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do public relations managers make?
The national median annual wage for public relations managers was $146,910 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $82,410 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $284,990. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do public relations managers need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with 5 years or more of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is public relations managers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of public relations managers to change +5.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 6,100 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay public relations managers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($197,600), New York ($180,880), Virginia ($176,340). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.