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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 September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Public Relations Manager in the United States is $133,352 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): $160,320
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $123,081 to $147,468
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $113,730
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

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): $94,747
  • Public Relations Specialist IV (7+ years): $118,083
  • Public Relations Manager (7+ years): $133,352
  • Public Relations Senior Manager (7+ years): $161,025
  • VP of Public Relations (7+ years): $252,975
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Public Relations Specialist III4-7 years$94,747
Public Relations Specialist IV7+ years$118,083
Public Relations Manager7+ years$133,352
Public Relations Senior Manager7+ years$161,025
VP of Public Relations7+ years$252,975
View as Graph

How Do Public Relations Manager 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 Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $147,647.
  • California: $147,087.
  • Massachusetts: $145,127.

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: $168,197
  • San Francisco: $166,355
  • Oakland: $162,849

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.”
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 7.91%
Brand Awareness 1.7%
Crisis Communications 1.3%
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 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 $152,021
14%
Services Marketing $145,354
9%
B2B $140,020
5%
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Public Relations Manager Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Public Relations Manager salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $149,026. While startup companies pay approximate $126,061.

Public Relations Manager Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $126,061
Growth Stage 51~500 $133,322
Established 501~5000 $143,904
Enterprise 5000+ $149,026

Public Relations Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Public Relations Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 73% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Internet sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 35% above the average. In contrast, Public Relations Manager positions in Transportation or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Public Relations Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Public Relations Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$180,025$87.035%
Internet$173,358$83.030%
Energy & Utilities$166,690$80.025%
Aerospace & Defense$153,355$74.015%
Financial Services$146,687$71.010%

How Education impacts a Public Relations Manager's Salary?

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

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an 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%
View as Graph

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 September 01, 2026
$123,081
Average $133,352/year
$147,468
$10,257
Average $11,113/month
$12,289
$2,367
Average $2,564/week
$2,836
$59
Average $64/hour
$71
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $147,468 $12,289 $2,836 $71
Average $133,352 $11,113 $2,564 $64
25th Percentile $123,081 $10,257 $2,367 $59

Public Relations Manager Salary Growth & Career Path

Public Relations Manager

Next Role

Advancement

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.

Next Step Role Estimate Salary Projected Raise
Community Relations Senior Manager $156,470 17%
Media Relations Manager $109,059 -18%
Public Relations Senior Manager $161,025 21%

Most common benefits for Public Relations Manager

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

Common company salaries for Public Relations Manager

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

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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 $168,197.

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

The highest pay for Public Relations Manager is $160,320.

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

The lowest pay for Public Relations Manager is $113,730.

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.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Public Relations Manager?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Public Relations Manager roles, with salaries approximately 35% 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.

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