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Community Relations Associate Salary in the United States

How much does a Community Relations Associate make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Community Relations Associate in the United States is $76,442 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $37.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $95,948
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $67,390 to $86,652
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $59,148
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Community Relations Associate Salaries

A Community Relations Associate'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 Community Relations Associate Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Community Relations Associate'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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $75,691
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $90,762
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $106,399
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $127,402
  • Expert (over 8 years): $124,071
Levels Salary
Community... Level Community Relations Associate$75,691
Community... Level Community Relations Associate$90,762
Community... Level Community Relations Associate$106,399
Community... Level Community Relations Associate$127,402
Community... Level Community Relations Associate$124,071
View as Graph

How Do Community Relations Associate 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 Community Relations Associates. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $84,636.
  • California: $84,315.
  • Massachusetts: $83,192.

Top Paying Cities for Community Relations Associates

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: $96,416
  • San Francisco: $95,361
  • Oakland: $93,351

What Skills Can Increase a Community Relations Associate's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 5.19% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • KPI (Mentioned in 2.81% Job Postings): KPI stands for key performance indicator, a quantifiable measure of performance over time for a specific objective.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.3% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 5.19%
KPI 2.81%
Microsoft Office 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 Community Relations Associate's salary.

  • Business Development: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Innovation: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Inside Sales: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Business Development $85,615
12%
Innovation $83,322
9%
Inside Sales $83,322
9%
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Community Relations Associate Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Community Relations Associate roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 70% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Healthcare and Financial Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average. In contrast, Community Relations Associate positions in Business Services or Insurance typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Community Relations Associate as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Community Relations Associate

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$107,019$51.040%
Financial Services$84,086$40.010%

How Education impacts a Community Relations Associate's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Community Relations Associates 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 Community Relations Associate with a Bachelor's Degree is between $73,739 and $79,735).

Community Relations Associate Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Community Relations Associate
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 5.1%
High School 5.1%
Associates 10.2%
Bachelors 55.9%
Masters 28.8%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

Community Relations Associate Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Community Relations Associate'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
$67,390
Average $76,442/year
$86,652
$5,616
Average $6,370/month
$7,221
$1,296
Average $1,470/week
$1,666
$32
Average $37/hour
$42
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $86,652 $7,221 $1,666 $42
Average $76,442 $6,370 $1,470 $37
25th Percentile $67,390 $5,616 $1,296 $32

Most common benefits for Community Relations Associate

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

Common company salaries for Community Relations Associate

Here are companies hiring for Community Relations Associate and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Community Relations Associate

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Community Relations Associate?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Community Relations Associate roles, with salaries approximately 40% 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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