Public Relations Managers salary
Business & finance · OCC code 11-2032 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Public Relations Managers in the US earn a median of $138,520 per year (mean $163,520) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is +179.8% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, more than 2.5x the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $102,300 and $198,000; the top 10% earn $239,200+ or more. The median hourly wage is $66.60. About 76,060 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia ($185,810). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Public Relations Managers pay range (national percentiles)
What public relations managers earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $78,880 |
| 25th percentile | $102,300 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $138,520 |
| Mean (average) | $163,520 |
| 75th percentile | $198,000 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $239,200+ |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Public Relations Managers salary by state
Median and mean wage for public relations managers in each of the 49 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $138,520.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $185,810 | $227,370 | 8,640 |
| 2 | Virginia | $173,880 | $190,250 | — |
| 3 | New York | $173,780 | $214,930 | 7,330 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $169,760 | $171,110 | 2,560 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $169,510 | $178,810 | 2,380 |
| 6 | Washington | $159,510 | $172,600 | 1,780 |
| 7 | Colorado | $157,150 | $164,660 | — |
| 8 | California | $156,340 | $179,450 | 9,140 |
| 9 | Delaware | $154,200 | $160,060 | 160 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $152,450 | $168,220 | 790 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $146,180 | $164,920 | 130 |
| 12 | Maryland | $144,590 | $163,110 | 1,860 |
| 13 | Arkansas | $140,970 | $158,470 | 260 |
| 14 | Utah | $133,440 | $143,230 | 600 |
| 15 | Vermont | $131,780 | $139,740 | 290 |
| 16 | Georgia | $131,590 | $153,520 | 1,330 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $128,600 | $139,390 | 260 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $123,800 | $148,810 | 1,390 |
| 19 | Illinois | $122,950 | $132,740 | 2,890 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $120,550 | $127,940 | 1,340 |
| 21 | Texas | $120,210 | $134,110 | 8,360 |
| 22 | Ohio | $120,200 | $134,780 | 1,020 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $119,400 | $137,040 | 2,010 |
| 24 | Maine | $119,110 | $141,680 | 370 |
| 25 | Oregon | $119,040 | $126,400 | 2,090 |
| 26 | Kansas | $117,080 | $122,620 | 230 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $116,340 | $121,610 | 860 |
| 28 | Michigan | $114,970 | $127,700 | 1,690 |
| 29 | Florida | $112,710 | $127,790 | 3,120 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $112,490 | $127,070 | 190 |
| 31 | Indiana | $110,200 | $126,310 | 650 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $106,580 | $123,010 | 830 |
| 33 | Iowa | $106,470 | $120,840 | 560 |
| 34 | Missouri | $106,000 | $122,130 | 880 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $105,980 | $124,400 | 340 |
| 36 | Arizona | $105,360 | $119,970 | 1,190 |
| 37 | Nevada | $105,340 | $128,130 | 400 |
| 38 | Alaska | $103,780 | $117,250 | 320 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $103,200 | $108,470 | 120 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $102,690 | $114,070 | 530 |
| 41 | Montana | $101,700 | $125,950 | 110 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $101,600 | $109,040 | 300 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $98,620 | $113,470 | 780 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $96,920 | $101,520 | 220 |
| 45 | Alabama | $93,040 | $113,280 | 410 |
| 46 | Idaho | $92,590 | $98,600 | 160 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $90,630 | $106,160 | 170 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $85,970 | $98,760 | 460 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $85,290 | $105,330 | 50 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: District of Columbia ($185,810). Lowest: West Virginia ($85,290).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations Managers (this job) | $138,520 | $163,520 | +179.8% |
| Pharmacists | $137,480 | $137,210 | +177.7% |
| Human Resources Managers | $140,030 | $160,480 | +182.9% |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $140,910 | $152,310 | +184.7% |
| Database Architects | $135,980 | $142,620 | +174.7% |
| Aerospace Engineers | $134,830 | $141,180 | +172.4% |
Pharmacists · Human Resources Managers · Computer and Information Research Scientists · Database Architects · Aerospace Engineers
Frequently asked questions
How much do public relations managers make?
Public Relations Managers earn a national median of $138,520 per year (mean $163,520) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $102,300 (25th percentile) and $198,000 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $239,200+ or more and the bottom 10% earn under $78,880. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for public relations managers?
The median hourly wage is $66.60 and the mean is $78.61 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays public relations managers the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage for public relations managers at $185,810, versus a national median of $138,520. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many public relations managers are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 76,060 public relations managers are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #13 of 124 by median pay.
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Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 11-2032), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20