Average Public Relations Managers Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Public Relations Managers is $146,910 per year. The middle 50% earn between $106,580 and $204,520, with 74,850 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 49 states and 184 metro areas.
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
- $82,410
- 25th
- $106,580
- Median
- $146,910
- 75th
- $204,520
- 90th
- $284,990
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Public Relations Managers are among the highest-paid occupations tracked by BLS, well into the top decile of US wages.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two public relations managers at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
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 $197,600, about 34.5% above the national median. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA leads with a median of $213,510.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $197,600 | 7,410 |
| New York | $180,880 | 7,710 |
| Virginia | $176,340 | 2,610 |
| New Jersey | $174,980 | 2,420 |
| Massachusetts | $171,740 | 2,170 |
| California | $167,980 | 9,400 |
| Maine | $166,940 | N/A |
| Colorado | $162,870 | N/A |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $213,510 | 980 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $195,190 | 9,470 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $192,720 | 1,880 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $192,360 | 7,940 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $179,330 | 430 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $177,370 | 190 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $176,390 | 1,810 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $174,990 | 330 |
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 2025, the national median salary for Public Relations Managers rose from $125,780 to $146,910, a gain of +16.8% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +18.8%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2021 median of $125,780 would need to be worth $149,441 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $146,910 is −$2,531 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -1.7% in purchasing power.
Wages have roughly kept pace with inflation. Nominal pay rose by 16.8%, but inflation absorbed most of it.
- Nominal change
- +16.8%
- 2021–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +18.8%
- US CPI, 2021–2025
- Real change
- -1.7%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Public Relations Managers median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $146,910
- 2024
- $138,520
- 2023
- $134,760
- 2022
- $129,430
- 2021
- $125,780
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2020, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Sales Managers
- $148,270
- Advertising And Promotions Managers
- $133,660
- Marketing Managers
- $166,790
- Fundraising Managers
- $125,470
- Purchasing Managers
- $148,080
- Compensation And Benefits Managers
- $149,230
- Human Resources Managers
- $149,280
- Managers, All Other
- $141,900
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 2025 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.