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Public Relations Manager Salary in the United States

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

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Public Relations Manager in the United States is $133,238 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $64.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $160,181
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $122,976 to $147,341
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $113,633
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View as table View as graph 25% $122,976 10% $113,633 90% $160,181 75% $147,341 $133,238 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Public Relations Manager Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $147,341 $12,278 $2,833 $71
Average $133,238 $11,103 $2,562 $64
25th Percentile $122,976 $10,248 $2,365 $59
Check out Public Relations Manager Job Openings in the United States
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Lisinski Law Firm - Dublin, OH

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Vice President Media Relations

Confidential - Columbus, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Public Relations Manager Salaries

A Public Relations Manager'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Public Relations Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Public Relations Manager'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 Specialist III (4-7 years): $94,699
  • Public Relations Specialist IV (7+ years): $118,071
  • Public Relations Manager (7+ years): $133,238
  • Public Relations Senior Manager (7+ years): $160,946
  • VP of Public Relations (7+ years): $252,811
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Public Relations Specialist III4-7 years$94,699
Public Relations Specialist IV7+ years$118,071
Public Relations Manager7+ years$133,238
Public Relations Senior Manager7+ years$160,946
VP of Public Relations7+ years$252,811
$94,699 Public Re...
$118,071 Public Re...
$133,238 Public Re...
$160,946 Public Re...
$252,811 VP of Pub...
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Public Relations Managers

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: $168,053
  • San Francisco: $166,213
  • Oakland: $162,710

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

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 7.91% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Brand Awareness (Mentioned in 1.7% Job Postings): Brand awareness is the extent to which customers are able to recall or recognize a brand under different conditions. Brand awareness is one of two dimensions from brand knowledge, an associative network memory model.
  • Crisis Communications (Mentioned in 1.3% Job Postings): 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.”
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 7.91%
Brand Awareness 1.7%
Crisis Communications 1.3%
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 Manager's salary.
  • Artificial Intelligence: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
  • Services Marketing: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • B2B: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Artificial Intelligence
$151,891
14%
Services Marketing
$145,229
9%
B2B
$139,900
5%
Insight
$138,568
4%
Corporate Communications
$138,568
4%
Storytelling
$138,568
4%
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How Education impacts a Public Relations Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Public Relations Managers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Public Relations Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $122,808 and $129,718).

Public Relations Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Public Relations Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.3%
High School 1.6%
Associates 2.0%
Bachelors 68.7%
Masters 26.0%
Doctorate 1.4%
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Public Relations Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Public Relations Manager'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 May 01, 2026

Public Relations Manager Salary Growth & Career Path

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a Public Relations Manager, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

Public Relations Manager Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role Estimate Salary Projected Raise
Community Relations Senior Manager $156,410 17%
Media Relations Manager $108,427 -19%
Public Relations Senior Manager $160,946 21%

Salary Trends for Public Relations Manager

Salaries for a Public Relations Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $111,964 in 2023 to around $110,188 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Public Relations Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Public Relations Manager Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$111,964
2024
$111,344
2025
$110,188
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $111,964
2024 $111,344
2025 $110,188
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Public Relations Manager

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Public Relations Manager

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FAQ about Public Relations Manager

1. Where can a Public Relations Manager earn the most?

A Public Relations Manager's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Public Relations Manager earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Public Relations Manager is $168,053.

2. What is the highest pay for Public Relations Manager?

The highest pay for Public Relations Manager is $160,181.

3. What is the lowest pay for Public Relations Manager?

The lowest pay for Public Relations Manager is $113,633.

4. What are the responsibilities of Public Relations Manager?

Develops and implements policies and procedures for the public relations department. Maintains favorable public image for employer or client by communicating programs, accomplishments, and/or points of view. Evaluates all forms of communications before release to ensure accuracy and appropriateness of message and authorizes release. Prepares and distributes news releases, fact sheets, scripts, etc. to media outlets. Requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a head of a unit/department. Manages subordinate staff in the day-to-day performance of their jobs. True first level manager. Ensures that project/department milestones/goals are met and adhering to approved budgets. Has full authority for personnel actions. Extensive knowledge of department processes. Typically requires 5 years experience in the related area as an individual contributor. 1 to 3 years supervisory experience may be required.

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.

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