Salary AI Book a Demo

Public Relations Executive Salary in the United States

How much does a Public Relations Executive make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Public Relations Executive in the United States is $252,965 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $122.

However, a Public Relations Executive's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $281,198
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $229,407 to $267,743
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $207,959
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Public Relations Executive Salaries

A Public Relations Executive's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Public Relations Executive Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Public Relations Executive's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Public Relations Representative III (4-7 years): $94,747
  • Public Relations Representative IV (7+ years): $118,083
  • PR Manager (7+ years): $133,352
  • PR Director (7+ years): $161,025
  • Public Relations Executive (7+ years): $252,975
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Public Relations Representative III4-7 years$94,747
Public Relations Representative IV7+ years$118,083
PR Manager7+ years$133,352
PR Director7+ years$161,025
Public Relations Executive7+ years$252,975
View as Graph

How Do Public Relations Executive Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Public Relations Executives. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $280,084.
  • California: $279,022.
  • Massachusetts: $275,303.

Top Paying Cities for Public Relations Executives

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $319,068
  • San Francisco: $315,574
  • Oakland: $308,924

What Skills Can Increase a Public Relations Executive's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Insight (Mentioned in 7.32% Job Postings): Insight is the understanding cause and effect based on the identification of relationships and behaviors within a model, context, or scenario.
  • Advertising (Mentioned in 4.88% Job Postings): Advertising is a marketing communication that employs an openly sponsored, non-personal message to promote or sell a product, service or idea.:465 Sponsors of advertising are typically businesses wishing to promote their products or services. Advertising is differentiated from public relations in that an advertiser pays for and has control over the message. It differs from personal selling in that the message is non-personal, i.e., not directed to a particular individual.:661,672 Advertising is communicated through various mass media, including traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio, outdoor advertising or direct mail; and new media such as search results, blogs, social media, websites or text messages. The actual presentation of the message in a medium is referred to as an advertisement, or "ad" or advert for short. Commercial ads often seek to generate increased consumption of their products or services through "branding", which associates a product name or image with certain qualities in the minds of consumers. On the other hand, ads that intend to elicit an immediate sale are known as direct-response advertising. Non-commercial entities that advertise more than consumer products or services include political parties, interest groups, religious organizations and governmental agencies. Non-profit organizations may use free modes of persuasion, such as a public service announcement. Advertising may also help to reassure employees or shareholders that a company is viable or successful.
  • Business Requirements (Mentioned in 4.88% Job Postings): Also known as stakeholder requirements specifications , describe the characteristics of a proposed system from the viewpoint of the system's end user. Often discussed in the context of developing or procuring software or other systems.
Skills Demand Percentage
Insight 7.32%
Advertising 4.88%
Business Requirements 4.88%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Public Relations Executive's salary.

  • Business Requirements: Can increase your salary by up to 35%.
  • Lean: Can increase your salary by up to 16%.
  • Storytelling: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Business Requirements $341,503
35%
Lean $293,439
16%
Storytelling $273,202
8%
Get Latest Data

Public Relations Executive Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Public Relations Executive salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $282,699. While startup companies pay approximate $239,134.

Public Relations Executive Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $239,134
Growth Stage 51~500 $252,909
Established 501~5000 $272,982
Enterprise 5000+ $282,699

Public Relations Executive Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Public Relations Executive roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 10% above the average. In contrast, Public Relations Executive positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Public Relations Executive as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Public Relations Executive

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$278,262$134.010%
Biotechnology$278,262$134.010%
Business Services$278,262$134.010%
Chemicals$278,262$134.010%
Construction$278,262$134.010%

Public Relations Executive Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Public Relations Executive's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$229,407
Average $252,965/year
$267,743
$19,117
Average $21,080/month
$22,312
$4,412
Average $4,865/week
$5,149
$110
Average $122/hour
$129
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $267,743 $22,312 $5,149 $129
Average $252,965 $21,080 $4,865 $122
25th Percentile $229,407 $19,117 $4,412 $110

Most common benefits for Public Relations Executive

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Public Relations Executive

Here are companies hiring for Public Relations Executive and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Public Relations Executive Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Public Relations Executive job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Public Relations Executive

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Public Relations Executive?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Public Relations Executive roles, with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst
lower level job