Average Public Relations Managers Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Public Relations Managers is $138,520 per year. The middle 50% earn between $102,300 and $198,000, with 76,060 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 49 states and 180 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Public Relations Managers pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $78,880
- 25th
- $102,300
- Median
- $138,520
- 75th
- $198,000
- 90th
- ≥$239,200
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Values marked ≥$239,200 are at or above the BLS wage cap. BLS does not publish an exact figure above this threshold.
Public Relations Managers are among the highest-paid occupations tracked by BLS, well into the top decile of US wages.
Some public relations managers earn above the BLS wage cap of $239,200, so the top percentiles shown here are BLS's minimum. Actual top-end earnings go higher but are not published in detail.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for public relations managers from 2024 to 2034. Growth is above the US average of about 4% across all occupations. This is an expanding field.
- Projected growth
- +5.0%
- 4,100 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 6,600
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- 5 years or more
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement for public relations managers.
Where Public Relations Managers earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where public relations managers work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is District of Columbia at $185,810, about 34.1% above the national median. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA leads with a median of $218,460.
By state
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $185,810 | 8,640 |
| Virginia | $173,880 | N/A |
| New York | $173,780 | 7,330 |
| Massachusetts | $169,760 | 2,560 |
| New Jersey | $169,510 | 2,380 |
| Washington | $159,510 | 1,780 |
| Colorado | $157,150 | N/A |
| California | $156,340 | 9,140 |
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $218,460 | 910 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $185,760 | 11,140 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $184,080 | 7,760 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $183,590 | 150 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $178,850 | 2,040 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $176,730 | 260 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $172,640 | 450 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $169,250 | 1,280 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see public relations managers pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2021 and 2024, the national median salary for Public Relations Managers rose from $125,780 to $138,520, a gain of +10.1% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +15.8%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2021 median of $125,780 would need to be worth $145,609 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $138,520 is −$7,089 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -4.9% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 10.1% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +10.1%
- 2021–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +15.8%
- US CPI, 2021–2024
- Real change
- -4.9%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Public Relations Managers median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2021
- $125,780
- 2022
- $129,430
- 2023
- $134,760
- 2024
- $138,520
BLS did not publish a median for 2019, 2020, so those years are omitted.
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Sales Managers
- $138,060
- Advertising And Promotions Managers
- $126,960
- Fundraising Managers
- $123,480
- Marketing Managers
- $161,030
- Purchasing Managers
- $139,510
- Human Resources Managers
- $140,030
- Compensation And Benefits Managers
- $140,360
- Managers, All Other
- $136,550
Common salary questions for Public Relations Managers
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Public Relations Managers workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.