Salary data
PR Manager Salary (May 2025 BLS Data)
The median annual pay for public relations managers in the US is $146,910, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025); the top 10% earn more than $284,990. This page shows what US public relations managers earn, from the BLS May 2025 survey: the median, the spread from the bottom to the top 10%, and medians by state.
Key takeaways
- The median annual pay for public relations managers in the US is $146,910, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025); the top 10% earn more than $284,990.
- BLS counts PR managers, directors and heads of communications together as public relations managers (11-2032).
- A first-time PR manager usually sits in the lower half of the public relations managers range, and a head of communications at a large company near the top.
- PR manager pay rises most with scope: owning corporate, product and executive communications pays more than running one area.
- A pay range in the job posting is a better guide for that specific PR manager role than the national BLS figures.
How much does a PR manager make?
The median annual pay for public relations managers in the US is $146,910. The middle half earn between $106,580 and $204,520, and the top 10% earn more than $284,990. About 74,850 people work in this occupation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Occupation 11-2032.
The pay range for public relations managers
Read the range, not only the median. Half of everyone in the group earns between the 25th and 75th percentile.
| Pay level | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $82,410 |
| 25th percentile | $106,580 |
| Median | $146,910 |
| 75th percentile | $204,520 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $284,990 |
| Mean (average) | $164,760 |
US, all industries. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
Which BLS figure covers PR manager roles?
PR manager maps onto the BLS occupation public relations managers (11-2032). It covers people who run communications teams and programs, including directors and heads of communications, because BLS publishes occupations, not titles. A first-time PR manager usually sits in the lower half; a head of communications at a large company near the top.
What affects PR manager pay?
Level and scope move pay more than anything else. After that:
- Scope: owning corporate, product and executive communications pays more than running one area.
- Industry: public companies and regulated industries pay more for senior communications leaders.
- Reporting line: comms leaders who report to the CEO are paid closer to other executives.
- City: the state table below shows the spread.
PR manager salary by state
The median for public relations managers varies a lot by state, mostly with the cost of living and where the employers are. The table runs from highest to lowest.
| State | Median pay |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $197,600 |
| New York | $180,880 |
| Virginia | $176,340 |
| New Jersey | $174,980 |
| Massachusetts | $171,740 |
| California | $167,980 |
| Maine | $166,940 |
| Colorado | $162,870 |
| Washington | $159,440 |
| Rhode Island | $156,080 |
| Connecticut | $154,210 |
| Delaware | $153,010 |
| Maryland | $149,380 |
| Minnesota | $139,040 |
| Georgia | $134,500 |
| Utah | $132,670 |
| New Hampshire | $132,660 |
| North Carolina | $132,280 |
| Illinois | $131,990 |
| Oregon | $131,190 |
| Kansas | $129,760 |
| Florida | $127,550 |
| Tennessee | $127,390 |
| Texas | $126,670 |
| Alaska | $120,920 |
| Iowa | $120,730 |
| Ohio | $118,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $118,050 |
| Michigan | $117,900 |
| New Mexico | $115,260 |
| Indiana | $114,960 |
| Missouri | $114,710 |
| Arizona | $114,400 |
| Nevada | $114,130 |
| North Dakota | $114,110 |
| Wisconsin | $113,980 |
| Kentucky | $112,320 |
| Hawaii | $105,010 |
| South Carolina | $104,920 |
| Nebraska | $104,440 |
| Arkansas | $104,170 |
| Montana | $99,990 |
| Alabama | $98,210 |
| Idaho | $98,160 |
| Mississippi | $97,160 |
| Oklahoma | $96,030 |
| Louisiana | $94,380 |
| West Virginia | $82,380 |
Highest first. States BLS doesn't publish a median for are left out. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
What is the average PR manager salary, and what do you earn starting out?
The median is the better guide to a typical PR manager salary than the average. The table above shows both: the mean (average) is pulled up by the highest earners, so it usually sits above the median. For a starting salary, look at the bottom two rows of the range: people new to the field usually earn between the 10th and 25th percentile, and move toward the median as they take on more scope.
To turn an annual figure into a monthly one, divide by 12. For an hourly equivalent, divide by about 2,080, which is 40 hours a week for 52 weeks.
How to use this in a salary negotiation
Use the range to anchor, not to argue. Find where the role sits: an entry-level coordinator belongs near the 25th percentile, a senior lead running a team and budget near the 75th or above. Then check the posting, since a growing number of states require employers to publish a pay range. If the posting’s range and the BLS range disagree, the posting wins: it’s the budget for this job. The BLS figure is still useful when there’s no range at all, or when you’re asked for your number first. Bringing up pay can feel awkward, but a number backed by public data is a normal, professional thing to discuss, and hiring managers expect the conversation. Put it in your own words and your own tone, say it once, then give them room to respond. Our salary negotiation guide covers what to say and when. Before your first call, write down your number and where it sits in the range above, so it’s ready when the question comes.
FAQ
Do PR managers earn as much as marketing managers?
They’re in the same neighbourhood. The table on the marketing salaries page ranks both groups side by side.
Is a head of communications counted as a PR manager?
Yes. BLS counts directors and heads of communications with public relations managers, so they sit toward the top of this range.
How do PR specialists move up to manager pay?
By leading programs and people: a launch, a crisis, a spokesperson program, a small team.
How does PR manager pay compare with PR specialist pay?
PR managers are paid as managers, so their range sits well above the specialist range. The PR specialist salary page shows that group, and the gap is the case for moving up: leading programs and people is what moves you from one range to the other.
What can you earn with a public relations degree?
A degree doesn’t set pay; the job does. Most public relations graduates start as coordinators or specialists, on the PR specialist salary range, and reach this range once they manage programs or a team. How to become a PR specialist covers the route in.