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Industry Relations Manager Salary in the United States

How much does an Industry Relations Manager make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for an Industry Relations Manager in the United States is $121,648 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $58.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $139,623
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $106,078 to $131,057
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $91,902
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Industry Relations Manager Salaries

An Industry 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 Industry Relations Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Industry 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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $100,068
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $114,062
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $122,729
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $168,671
  • Expert (over 8 years): $232,318
Levels Salary
Employee ... Level Industry Relations Manager$100,068
Employee ... Level Industry Relations Manager$114,062
Industry ... Level Industry Relations Manager$122,729
Employee ... Level Industry Relations Manager$168,671
VP of Emp... Level Industry Relations Manager$232,318
View as Graph

How Do Industry 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 Industry Relations Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $134,689.
  • California: $134,178.
  • Massachusetts: $132,390.

Top Paying Cities for Industry 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: $153,435
  • San Francisco: $151,755
  • Oakland: $148,557

What Skills Can Increase an Industry Relations Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 5.47% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Onboarding (Mentioned in 1.73% Job Postings): Onboarding, also known as organizational socialization, is management jargon first created in the 1970's that refers to the mechanism through which new employees acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviors in order to become effective organizational members and insiders. It is the process of integrating a new employee into the organization and its culture. Tactics used in this process include formal meetings, lectures, videos, printed materials, or computer-based orientations to introduce newcomers to their new jobs and organizations. Research has demonstrated that these socialization techniques lead to positive outcomes for new employees such as higher job satisfaction, better job performance, greater organizational commitment, and reduction in occupational stress and intent to quit.. These outcomes are particularly important to an organization looking to retain a competitive advantage in an increasingly mobile and globalized workforce. In the United States, for example, up to 25% of workers are organizational newcomers engaged in an onboarding process. The term induction is used instead in regions such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and parts of Europe. This is known in some parts of the world as training.
  • Business Administration (Mentioned in 0.74% Job Postings): It is the management of all aspects of a business's performance, decisions, and organization. It includes the day to day operations, aspects including finances and human resources, and ensures the company stays aligned to the goal or mission.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 5.47%
Onboarding 1.73%
Business Administration 0.74%
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 an Industry Relations Manager's salary.

  • Alignment: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Collective Bargaining: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Resource Management: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Alignment $126,514
4%
Collective Bargaining $126,514
4%
Resource Management $125,297
3%
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Industry Relations Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Industry Relations Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Industry Relations Manager positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Healthcare typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Industry Relations Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Industry Relations Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$145,978$70.020%
Biotechnology$145,978$70.020%
Business Services$145,978$70.020%
Chemicals$145,978$70.020%
Construction$145,978$70.020%

How Education impacts an Industry Relations Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Industry 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 an Industry Relations Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $121,844 and $130,044).

Industry Relations Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Industry Relations Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.8%
High School 7.8%
Associates 3.5%
Bachelors 39.6%
Masters 37.5%
Doctorate 9.9%
View as Graph

Industry Relations Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Industry 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 October 01, 2026
$106,078
Average $121,648/year
$131,057
$8,840
Average $10,137/month
$10,921
$2,040
Average $2,339/week
$2,520
$51
Average $58/hour
$63
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $131,057 $10,921 $2,520 $63
Average $121,648 $10,137 $2,339 $58
25th Percentile $106,078 $8,840 $2,040 $51

Most common benefits for Industry Relations Manager

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

Common company salaries for Industry Relations Manager

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

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FAQ about Industry Relations Manager

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Industry Relations Manager?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Industry Relations Manager roles, with salaries approximately 20% 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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