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How Much Does a Public Relations Manager Make?

A public relations manager in the US earns a median salary of $146,910 a year, or $70.63 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $164,760, and the middle half earn between $106,580 and $204,520.

Median a year $146,910
Median an hour $70.63
Median a month $12,243
Average a year $164,760

Public relations manager pay range

What public relations managers earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $82,410 $39.62
25th $106,580 $51.24
Median (50th) $146,910 $70.63
75th $204,520 $98.33
90th (top 10%) $284,990 $137.01

The median is 188% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 74,850 people work as public relations managers in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$2,825
Every two weeks
$5,650
Twice a month
$6,121
A month
$12,243

At the median salary, before tax.

Public relations manager salary by state

Sorted by average pay. District of Columbia pays public relations managers the most, at $217,060 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
District of Columbia $217,060 $197,600 7,410 After tax
New York $203,900 $180,880 7,710 After tax
Virginia $192,100 $176,340 2,610 After tax
New Jersey $185,230 $174,980 2,420 After tax
California $185,180 $167,980 9,400 After tax
Massachusetts $181,950 $171,740 2,170 After tax
Colorado $170,820 $162,870 – After tax
Washington $168,850 $159,440 1,610 After tax
Connecticut $167,860 $154,210 890 After tax
Maryland $166,120 $149,380 1,530 After tax
Delaware $165,760 $153,010 170 After tax
Rhode Island $163,300 $156,080 210 After tax
Maine $151,990 $166,940 – After tax
Georgia $150,060 $134,500 1,540 After tax
Minnesota $148,840 $139,040 1,230 After tax
Utah $148,790 $132,670 580 After tax
North Carolina $146,900 $132,280 1,510 After tax
Illinois $142,720 $131,990 2,770 After tax
New Hampshire $142,510 $132,660 330 After tax
Texas $142,060 $126,670 8,190 After tax
Oregon $138,720 $131,190 1,410 After tax
Florida $137,560 $127,550 2,990 After tax
Arkansas $136,310 $104,170 340 After tax
Nevada $135,800 $114,130 450 After tax
Kansas $135,260 $129,760 300 After tax
Ohio $132,030 $118,670 1,400 After tax
Tennessee $131,930 $127,390 700 After tax
Michigan $131,830 $117,900 1,720 After tax
Arizona $131,310 $114,400 1,170 After tax
Pennsylvania $130,880 $118,050 2,210 After tax
Alaska $129,370 $120,920 380 After tax
Wisconsin $129,050 $113,980 1,010 After tax
Missouri $128,330 $114,710 760 After tax
Indiana $128,300 $114,960 600 After tax
Iowa $128,080 $120,730 630 After tax
New Mexico $127,030 $115,260 250 After tax
South Carolina $125,350 $104,920 650 After tax
Kentucky $123,770 $112,320 510 After tax
North Dakota $122,450 $114,110 130 After tax
Nebraska $117,790 $104,440 330 After tax
Hawaii $115,930 $105,010 390 After tax
Mississippi $114,260 $97,160 170 After tax
Alabama $112,490 $98,210 540 After tax
Montana $111,870 $99,990 180 After tax
Louisiana $110,400 $94,380 320 After tax
Oklahoma $110,350 $96,030 490 After tax
Idaho $103,660 $98,160 – After tax
West Virginia $94,410 $82,380 70 After tax
Puerto Rico $80,920 $72,290 220

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other management jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Public Relations Managers” (SOC 11-2032). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a public relations manager make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a public relations manager is $70.63, and the average is $79.21. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $39.62 an hour and the top 10% over $137.01.

How much does a public relations manager make a month?

At the median salary of $146,910, a public relations manager earns about $12,243 a month before tax, or $5,650 every two weeks.

Which state pays public relations managers the most?

District of Columbia has the highest average pay for a public relations manager, at $217,060 a year. Next are New York and Virginia. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a public relations manager?

The lowest-paid 10% of public relations managers earn less than $82,410 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $106,580. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid public relations managers make?

The top 10% earn more than $284,990 a year, and the top 25% more than $204,520.