How much does a Public Relations Director make in California? The average Public Relations Director salary in California is $177,493 as of May 28, 2024, but the range typically falls between $155,995 and $202,049. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on the city and many other important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession.

Public Relations Director Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Public Relations Director Salary $136,422 CA May 28, 2024
25th Percentile Public Relations Director Salary $155,995 CA May 28, 2024
50th Percentile Public Relations Director Salary $177,493 CA May 28, 2024
75th Percentile Public Relations Director Salary $202,049 CA May 28, 2024
90th Percentile Public Relations Director Salary $224,406 CA May 28, 2024
25% $155,995 10% $136,422 90% $224,406 75% $202,049 $177,493 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What skills does a Public Relations Director need?

Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.

Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.

2.

Crisis Communications: Crisis communication is a sub-specialty of the public relations profession that is designed to protect and defend an individual, company, or organization facing a public challenge to its reputation. The communication scholar Timothy Coombs defines crisis as "the perception of an unpredictable event that threatens important expectancies of stakeholders and can seriously impact an organization's performance and generate negative outcomes" and crisis communication as "the collection, processing, and dissemination of information required to address a crisis situation." Meaning can be socially constructed; because of this, the way that the stakeholders of an organization view an event (positively, neutrally, or negatively) is a major contributing factor to whether the event will become a crisis. Additionally, it is important to separate a true crisis situation from an incident. The term crisis “should be reserved for serious events that require careful attention from management.”

3.

Internal Communications: Internal communications (IC) is the function responsible for effective communications among participants within an organization. The scope of the function varies by organization and practitioner, from producing and delivering messages and campaigns on behalf of management, to facilitating two-way dialogue and developing the communication skills of the organization's participants. Modern understanding of internal communications is a field of its own and draws on the theory and practice of related professions, not least journalism, knowledge management, public relations (e.g., media relations), marketing and human resources, as well as wider organizational studies, communication theory, social psychology, sociology and political science.

Leadership 9.01%
Crisis Communications 1.71%
Internal Communications 0.95%
Others 88.33%
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Job Description for Public Relations Director

Public Relations Director directs and implements a company's public relations strategies. Manages media relations, announcements, editorial placement, and speaking opportunities. Being a Public Relations Director evaluates and authorizes all forms of communication regarding the organization for release to the public. Develops press releases, white papers and supporting materials. Additionally, Public Relations Director requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to top management. The Public Relations Director manages a departmental sub-function within a broader departmental function. Creates functional strategies and specific objectives for the sub-function and develops budgets/policies/procedures to support the functional infrastructure. Deep knowledge of the managed sub-function and solid knowledge of the overall departmental function. To be a Public Relations Director typically requires 5+ years of managerial experience. (Copyright 2024 Salary.com)... View full job description

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Job Openings for Public Relations Director in California
  • What you can expect. Find joy in serving others with IEHP. We welcome you to join us in “healing and inspiring the human spirit” and to pivot from a “job” ...
    - 5 Months Ago
  • Loyola Marymount University, a top-ranked Catholic, Jesuit, and Marymount institution in Los Angeles, seeks a deeply seasoned, creative, and nimble Vice Pr...
    - 4 Days Ago
  • Assistant Director of Public Works -Transportation. Assistant Director of Public Works -Transportation. City of Davis. Salary: $126,885 $154,230 annually, ...
    - 4 Days Ago
  • Nuffer, Smith, Tucker (NST) is the PR agency to work with. Whether you’re a client looking for PR support or a public relations professional looking for an...
    - 3 Days Ago
  • align Public Relations is seeking a publicity assistant with at least 1 year experience at a public relations firm with a focus in entertainment to assist ...
    - 2 Days Ago

Select a city to view specific salary and bonus information for Public Relations Director

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Location Avg. Salary Date Updated
Location Coachella, CA Avg. Salary $169,608 Date Updated May 28, 2024
Location Acampo, CA Avg. Salary $172,022 Date Updated May 28, 2024
Location Acton, CA Avg. Salary $178,137 Date Updated May 28, 2024
Location Adelanto, CA Avg. Salary $169,287 Date Updated May 28, 2024
Location Adin, CA Avg. Salary $164,942 Date Updated May 28, 2024
Location Agoura Hills, CA Avg. Salary $175,562 Date Updated May 28, 2024
Location Aguanga, CA Avg. Salary $170,091 Date Updated May 28, 2024
Location Ahwahnee, CA Avg. Salary $160,275 Date Updated May 28, 2024
Location Alameda, CA Avg. Salary $196,321 Date Updated May 28, 2024
Location Alamo, CA Avg. Salary $195,838 Date Updated May 28, 2024

Career Path for Public Relations Director

A career path is a sequence of jobs that leads to your short- and long-term career goals. Some follow a linear career path within one field, while others change fields periodically to achieve career or personal goals.

For Public Relations Director, the first career path typically progresses to Top Community Relations Executive.

Additionally, the second career path typically progresses to Top Public Relations Executive.

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Public Relations Director Salary in California
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