SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or client.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 11-2032.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $82,410 | $6,868 | $1,585 | $39.62 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $106,580 | $8,882 | $2,050 | $51.24 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $146,910 | $12,242 | $2,825 | $70.63 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $204,520 | $17,043 | $3,933 | $98.33 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $284,990 | $23,749 | $5,481 | $137.01 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Public Relations Managers is $146,910, which is 188% higher. Among the 37 occupations of the field Management, it ranks number 11 by median pay. With 74,850 jobs, it makes up about 4.8 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($164,760) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Public Relations Managers pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($197,600), New York ($180,880) and Virginia ($176,340). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($72,290), West Virginia ($82,380) and Louisiana ($94,380). The most jobs were in California (9,400), Texas (8,190) and New York (7,710). The occupation is most concentrated in District of Columbia, where its share of all jobs is 21.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 7,410 | $197,600 | $217,060 | $95.00 |
| New York | 7,710 | $180,880 | $203,900 | $86.96 |
| Virginia | 2,610 | $176,340 | $192,100 | $84.78 |
| New Jersey | 2,420 | $174,980 | $185,230 | $84.13 |
| Massachusetts | 2,170 | $171,740 | $181,950 | $82.57 |
| California | 9,400 | $167,980 | $185,180 | $80.76 |
| Maine | not published | $166,940 | $151,990 | $80.26 |
| Colorado | not published | $162,870 | $170,820 | $78.30 |
| Washington | 1,610 | $159,440 | $168,850 | $76.65 |
| Rhode Island | 210 | $156,080 | $163,300 | $75.04 |
| Connecticut | 890 | $154,210 | $167,860 | $74.14 |
| Delaware | 170 | $153,010 | $165,760 | $73.56 |
| Maryland | 1,530 | $149,380 | $166,120 | $71.82 |
| Minnesota | 1,230 | $139,040 | $148,840 | $66.85 |
| Georgia | 1,540 | $134,500 | $150,060 | $64.67 |
| Utah | 580 | $132,670 | $148,790 | $63.79 |
| New Hampshire | 330 | $132,660 | $142,510 | $63.78 |
| North Carolina | 1,510 | $132,280 | $146,900 | $63.60 |
| Illinois | 2,770 | $131,990 | $142,720 | $63.46 |
| Oregon | 1,410 | $131,190 | $138,720 | $63.07 |
| Kansas | 300 | $129,760 | $135,260 | $62.39 |
| Florida | 2,990 | $127,550 | $137,560 | $61.32 |
| Tennessee | 700 | $127,390 | $131,930 | $61.24 |
| Texas | 8,190 | $126,670 | $142,060 | $60.90 |
| Alaska | 380 | $120,920 | $129,370 | $58.13 |
| Iowa | 630 | $120,730 | $128,080 | $58.04 |
| Ohio | 1,400 | $118,670 | $132,030 | $57.06 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,210 | $118,050 | $130,880 | $56.75 |
| Michigan | 1,720 | $117,900 | $131,830 | $56.69 |
| New Mexico | 250 | $115,260 | $127,030 | $55.41 |
| Indiana | 600 | $114,960 | $128,300 | $55.27 |
| Missouri | 760 | $114,710 | $128,330 | $55.15 |
| Arizona | 1,170 | $114,400 | $131,310 | $55.00 |
| Nevada | 450 | $114,130 | $135,800 | $54.87 |
| North Dakota | 130 | $114,110 | $122,450 | $54.86 |
| Wisconsin | 1,010 | $113,980 | $129,050 | $54.80 |
| Kentucky | 510 | $112,320 | $123,770 | $54.00 |
| Hawaii | 390 | $105,010 | $115,930 | $50.49 |
| South Carolina | 650 | $104,920 | $125,350 | $50.44 |
| Nebraska | 330 | $104,440 | $117,790 | $50.21 |
| Arkansas | 340 | $104,170 | $136,310 | $50.08 |
| Montana | 180 | $99,990 | $111,870 | $48.07 |
| Alabama | 540 | $98,210 | $112,490 | $47.22 |
| Idaho | not published | $98,160 | $103,660 | $47.19 |
| Mississippi | 170 | $97,160 | $114,260 | $46.71 |
| Oklahoma | 490 | $96,030 | $110,350 | $46.17 |
| Louisiana | 320 | $94,380 | $110,400 | $45.38 |
| West Virginia | 70 | $82,380 | $94,410 | $39.61 |
| Puerto Rico | 220 | $72,290 | $80,920 | $34.75 |
| Vermont | 280 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Compensation and Benefits Managers$149,230 a year
- Sales Managers$148,270 a year
- Purchasing Managers$148,080 a year
- Managers, All Other$141,900 a year
- Advertising and Promotions Managers$133,660 a year
- Training and Development Managers$133,000 a year
Common questions
How much do Public Relations Managers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $146,910 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $82,410 and the highest-paid 10% more than $284,990.
How many people work as Public Relations Managers?
About 74,850 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.