Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for customer relations managers in the United States
Are customer relations manager jobs in demand?
Customer relations manager job and salary trends over time
Customer relations manager jobs over time
Customer relations manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,559 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,499 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,439 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,233 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,074 | 0.00% |
Average customer relations manager salary over time
Customer relations manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $66,782 | $32.11 | +4.1% |
| 2025 | $64,168 | $30.85 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $62,864 | $30.22 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $60,936 | $29.30 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | $58,768 | $28.25 | +3.1% |
Customer relations manager jobs by state
Most common states for customer relations managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 395 | 57% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 927 | 14% |
| 3 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 534 | 13% |
| 4 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 395 | 13% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 992 | 12% |
| 6 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 130 | 12% |
| 7 | Delaware | 961,939 | 114 | 12% |
| 8 | Vermont | 623,657 | 73 | 12% |
| 9 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,345 | 11% |
| 10 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 801 | 11% |
| 11 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 148 | 11% |
| 12 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,025 | 10% |
| 13 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 913 | 10% |
| 14 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 583 | 10% |
| 15 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 530 | 10% |
| 16 | California | 39,536,653 | 3,683 | 9% |
| 17 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,803 | 9% |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,130 | 9% |
| 19 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 305 | 9% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 70 | 9% |
Most common cities for customer relations managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OFallon | 1 | 3% | $56,795 |
| 2 | Grand Junction | 1 | 2% | $62,066 |
| 3 | Bloomington | 1 | 1% | $52,831 |
| 4 | Fort Myers | 1 | 1% | $57,150 |
| 5 | Grand Rapids | 1 | 1% | $55,697 |
| 6 | Topeka | 1 | 1% | $65,944 |
| 7 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $85,900 |
| 8 | Detroit | 1 | 0% | $56,930 |
| 9 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $85,580 |
| 10 | Miami | 1 | 0% | $56,674 |
| 11 | Orlando | 1 | 0% | $55,787 |
| 12 | Washington | 1 | 0% | $69,289 |
Customer Relations Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of customer relations manager experts
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
University of Alaska Fairbanks
University of the Incarnate Word
Southern Illinois University
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
San Francisco State University
Saint John's University
Penn State University, Brandywine
Sacred Heart University
Drake University
Montana State University Billings
Utah Valley University
University of New Haven
Neumann University
Faulkner University
The University of Akron
Goldey-Beacom College
Centenary College of Louisiana
Bucknell University
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
What Customer Relations Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Yeqiang Lin Ph.D.: In the next 3-5 years, skills in artificial intelligence, user experience design, and sustainable practice will become increasingly important in the experience industry. Proficiency in technology that enhances virtual and augmented realities will also be valuable, given the growing trend towards digital integration in creating immersive experiences.
What will help Customer Relations Managers increase their earning potential?
Yeqiang Lin Ph.D.: To maximize salary potential early in your career, focus on gaining diverse experiences and specialized skills that are in high demand, such as digital marketing, data analytics, and experience design. Pursuing certifications in experience design and management and attending industry networking events can also elevate your visibility and desirability to potential employers.
What Customer Relations Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jaunelle Celaire: Never stop learning! This may consist of going back to school, earning new certifications in your field of study, attending conferences and seminars, and making sure that your time management is always at its finest level of excellence.
Dr. Trey Guinn
Associate Professor and Program DirectorUniversity of the Incarnate Word
Communication Arts
What skills stand out on Customer Relations Manager resumes?
Dr. Trey Guinn: The field of communication(s) is like an enormous playground. The roles and responsibilities of professional communicators vary as much as playgrounds and the equipment they house. What seems universal is that communications managers work to advance a brand's image by developing and delivering intentional messages that effectively convey meaning with impact. Beyond that, these individuals work in various settings and perform a range of communicative tasks. Some have general oversight of an organization's internal and external communications, while others may have a narrower focus exclusively on liaising with media to gain purposeful exposure or manage crisis communication. Thus, while the role may seem straightforward, the truth is that the job description and responsibilities can vary greatly. This is important to note because the skills that should stand out on your resume must incorporate your knowledge of the industry and the nuance of the specific job to which you are applying. Sticking with our aforementioned metaphor, a hiring manager may need to know that you have a general understanding of all the toys on the playground but may be especially interested in how well you build sandcastles. Thus, it behooves you to make your resume speak to the job description. And moreover, when appropriate to do so, you would be wise to utilize language in the job description. If you are part of a "tiger team," but the job description calls for someone who has been part of a "high-performing team," accommodate your language for the reader, especially if your reader is a machine that may not be programmed to understand your jargon.
What soft skills should all Customer Relations Managers possess?
Dr. Trey Guinn: It goes without saying that a communications manager is expected to demonstrate exceptional verbal, nonverbal, and written communication. They should have in-depth knowledge of best writing and messaging practices for the needs of the particular organization and industry to which they have applied. But more than developing and delivering effective messaging, a savvy communications manager must effectively engage with individuals of all levels, whether internal or external to the organization. They must be able to lead and influence with and without positional authority.
Justin Young
Assistant LecturerSouthern Illinois University
School of Communication Studies
What skills stand out on Customer Relations Manager resumes?
Justin Young: What I hear more and more is a desire for multi-skilled Communication Managers. In other words, it's not simply enough to have a background in PR, but often you'll wear many hats and might be asked to shoot a video with your phone, edit it on your desktop, and then post it across social media. So they're not just looking for video editing, or web content management, or social media, or article writing, or public speaking, but ideally, a little of them all.
What skills will help Customer Relations Managers earn the most?
Justin Young: Straight out of school, some of those hard skills might give you a leg up on that first job. However, long-term, I think soft skills like teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, and simply interpersonal skills will advance you further. The most successful people I see tend to be good with people as well as willing to listen and learn. Some people can fake these skills to advance, but the organization usually suffers in the long-term, as do they financially.
Sherry Morreale Ph.D.
ProfessorUniversity of Colorado at Colorado Springs
Department of Communication
What skills stand out on Customer Relations Manager resumes?
Sherry Morreale Ph.D.: Stephen Colbert, actor, comedian, and TV host, graduated with a B.A. in Communication, as did Howard Shultz, the Executive Chairman of Starbucks, Carrie Underwood, country music singer, Peyton Manning, retired NFL football player, Oprah Winfrey, former talk show host and producer, and Spike Lee, director, producer, and actor. Less well known but successful communication graduates also include Robert Lampley, Assistant Director of the Office of Civil Rights at Central Michigan University, Jessica Berlin, Social Marketing Manager of Yahoo, Brandon Weathers, Analyst/Federal Government Contractor, Ashley Kronsell, Communication Specialist at Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition, and Sierra Lowe, Regulatory Communications Coordinator at Cook Medical Group (National Communication Association, 2021a).
This impressive list highlights just a few of the many highly productive people with Communication degrees who are now employed in a range of interesting positions. Clearly, a degree in Communication opens the door to a wide variety of employment opportunities. That is because communication itself is ubiquitous - it is everywhere. But we need to clarify exactly what communication skills are needed, given this wide array of jobs and careers. This brief commentary presents three diverse sources of information about those important communication skills.
1. The results of a national study that highlights exactly what aspects of Communication, and therefore Communication Education, are considered critically important to everyone's personal and professional success in life.
2. Employers' expectations about their communication knowledge and skills in college graduates would like to see.
3. A summary of learning outcomes for communication graduates was developed by the National Communication Association.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Customer Relations Managers?
Sherry Morreale Ph.D.: A very recent analysis of 82 million job postings uncovered a critical demand by employers for what often is referred to as durable skills (America Succeeds, 2021). By contrast to hard skills, durable skills, sometimes referred to as soft skills, comprise important professional capabilities (Leadership, Critical Thinking, Communication, etc.) and personal qualities (Creativity, Mindfulness, Fortitude, etc.) that last throughout a person's entire career. In this analysis, two key findings are:
-In the job postings, the top five durable skills were requested nearly four (3.8) times more than the top five hard skills.
-Also, Communication and Leadership were in the highest demand, requested by 50+% of postings. These two durable (soft) skills sets include the following specific knowledge and skills.
A third durable skill or competency identified in the job postings, closely related to Leadership and Communication, is Collaboration. The Collaboration knowledge and skills connected to Communication and Leadership are interpersonal communications, coordinating, teamwork, team-oriented, team leadership, collaboration, team building, cooperation, and virtual teams.
Bruce Heiman Ph.D.
Professor of International BusinessSan Francisco State University
Department of International Business
What hard/technical skills are most important for Customer Relations Managers?
Bruce Heiman Ph.D.: -Analytical skills (ability to gather data, clean it, analyze it, write-up results and present on what the meaning of the analysis suggests for action (the last one is most important--"what does it really mean?"
-Some experience and skills with coding in any language (at the moment, Python or C++ are preferred, though Ruby on Rails is also good)
-Deep spreadsheet skills (pivot tables and macros, as examples).
-Relational database skills, including programming (e.g., MySQL)
-Data mining
-AI/Machine Learning experience
Nancy DiTunnariello Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorSaint John's University
Mass Communication
What soft skills should all Customer Relations Managers possess?
Nancy DiTunnariello Ph.D.: Be personable! During the interview process, individuals are so focused on being "professional" that they forget to show potential employers who they really are. YOU are what sets you apart from other applicants. Also, employers want to see if your personality is a good fit with the company culture and the colleagues/clients you would be working with. Plus, would you want to work for an organization where you have to pretend and assume a false persona all day?
Hans Schmidt Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Communications, Coordinator, Schreyer and Cooper Honors ProgramsPenn State University, Brandywine
Communications Department
What soft skills should all Customer Relations Managers possess?
Hans Schmidt Ph.D.: I know that "soft skills" is commonly used, but I'm not a fan of the term. I think it implies that some of these skills are "soft" or "easy" or "unimportant." They aren't. In many ways, so-called "soft skills" - things like interpersonal communication skills - can be among the most important skills for any worker. This is especially the case in communication-related fields, where there is an expectation that human interaction - both in-person and mediated - is important. This is true with leadership skills and presentation/speaking skills.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Customer Relations Managers?
Hans Schmidt Ph.D.: Having the ability to write well is important in most knowledge-based fields today. It is especially critical in any communication-related field of job specialization. Otherwise, the specific technical skills are important variations between the particular company and/or job expectations. Some fields use proprietary software that one typically learns about once one starts the job. Some fields require media production competencies - related to basic video production, audio production, imaging or photography, or even web design/management. The important thing is to develop a general competency with technology - and to learn how to learn. That allows you to pivot to develop new skills in different situations and roles.
What skills will help Customer Relations Managers earn the most?
Hans Schmidt Ph.D.: There are so many variables here. For one thing, market needs are constantly changing. Similarly, there is a wide range of salaries between different employers. This is why it is so important to, again, "learn how to learn." That enables you to be adaptable, flexible, and capable of adjusting to different environments. Also, it emphasizes why the development of fundamental communication skills related to spoken communication, written communication, and - today - mediated communication are so important. You can take these skills and specialize them in any number of ways.
What technical skills for a Customer Relations Manager stand out to employers?
Keith Hassell: Employers are increasingly looking for applied skillsets and additional certifications to set a candidate apart. Sacred Heart University has recently launched a remote work certification, which houses three modules - focusing on the remote worker, the remote team and the remote leader, providing the tools and resources to comfortably leverage and utilize virtual platforms at various organizations. Additional specialized training, certifications and more are great selling tools pending on the specific area of interest. Certifications are common in areas such as project management, sales, IT/network/software, Google application and more. The candidate needs to think, "What can I do that is beyond my coursework to show I am passionate about my field? How do I make myself stand out?" Certifications is an attainable way to do this.
In addition, soft skills continue to be equally important in today's job market. NACE (the National Association of Colleges and Employers) identified seven core competencies that employers seek from entry level candidates which include critical thinking/problem solving, oral/written communication, teamwork/collaboration, digital technology, leadership, professionalism/work ethic, career management and global/intercultural fluency.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Customer Relations Managers?
Alanah Mitchell Ph.D.: In some cases certifications and licenses can help with possible job prospects. In general, IS education is focused on current technology processes, skills, tools, and technologies that employers are interested in. Additionally, internships during school really help to provide practical experience and increase the chances of job offers.
What soft skills should all Customer Relations Managers possess?
Alanah Mitchell Ph.D.: Along with business and technical skills, IS majors do need to work in developing a broad set of soft, interpersonal skills. Specifically, collaboration and teamwork, critical thinking and problem solving, creativity, communication, negotiation and conflict management, and leadership as well as working under pressure often rank high in the list of soft skills necessary for success in IS. Increasingly, the development of soft skills is emphasized in academic programs as employers are looking for these skills in new graduates.
What soft skills should all Customer Relations Managers possess?
Samuel Isaac Boerboom Ph.D.: Conflict management, the ability to work effectively and efficiently in groups, and active listening skills, especially as these pertain to engaging audiences in virtual settings.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Customer Relations Managers?
Samuel Isaac Boerboom Ph.D.: It's difficult to predict the enduing impact, but graduates will need to be savvier than ever about establishing and maintaining online communication skills, especially web conferencing and virtual communication. Graduates may be working remotely for an extended period of time even after the COVID-19 crisis is managed. Time management and self-motivation skills will be more important than before.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Customer Relations Managers?
Samuel Isaac Boerboom Ph.D.: For communication professionals it will again be about effective presentation of one's skills in online platforms and spaces. Web marketing and persuasion skills are absolutely paramount right now.
Meaghan McKasy Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of CommunicationUtah Valley University
Department of Communication, Public Relations Emphasis
What soft skills should all Customer Relations Managers possess?
Meaghan McKasy Ph.D.: The pandemic has only emphasized the importance of soft skills. Luckily for communication graduates, so many of the key soft skills that employers look for are the foundation of their degree. Employers look for clear verbal and nonverbal communication, collaboration, listening, persuasion, and critical thinking, to name a few. Further, an attentiveness to work ethic, such as independence and time management, for instance, is necessary for anyone to succeed, but especially in an increasingly common work-from-home environment where there are plenty of distractions. Finally, self-awareness and empathy cannot be undervalued in these tumultuous times where employers recognize the importance of mental health and racial awareness.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Customer Relations Managers?
Meaghan McKasy Ph.D.: In our increasingly digital world, any sort of digital media or data analytics certificate or experience is incredibly valuable. Membership in professional organizations such as the Society of Professional Journalists or the Public Relations Society of America, or a research association such as the National Communication Association, can provide you with tremendous networking opportunities. If students are looking to pursue a career in public relations, then the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) can really set you apart a crowded and competitive job market.
What experience really stands out on Customer Relations Manager resumes?
Matt Caporale: In a nutshell, hands on and applied experiences stand out the most. What employers truly seek is not just what you know and what you did, but how you did it, where you did it, to what outcome, and what do you offer now because of those experiences. This isn't new, but employers are increasingly looking for details and level of specificity to a student's college experience - buzzwords won't suffice any more. The experiences that stand out are ones students can actively quantify and showcase success, hard skills, and soft skills.
These types of experiences include traditional experiences such as internships, research projects, study abroad, and campus leadership. But they more often now include diverse perspectives, interdisciplinary experiences, and roles in which students make a focused impact on the organization in which they served. Employers seek well rounded candidates with hard and soft skills; so, the experiences that stand out will need to be diversified, skill focused, and impactful.
For students in international relations, these experiences will include traditional internships and study abroad, but also Model UN, policy research and development, multi-cultural experiences (local and international), and data-based projects.
Dr. Alfred Mueller Ph.D.
Dean, School of Arts and Sciences, Professor of Communication ad Digital mediaNeumann University
School of Arts and Sciences
What experience really stands out on Customer Relations Manager resumes?
Dr. Alfred Mueller Ph.D.: As someone who reads resumes regularly, I don't spend much time on the resume. I expect a resume to convey to me basic information about degrees held. If the applicant played in a sport or held a leadership position in a club while attending college, I want to know that because it shows me that the applicant managed time reasonably well and led a group of people in some way. I will also look for information about what an applicant accomplished in a previous or current position. I don't want a listing of the job's responsibilities. I want to know what value the applicant brought to the workplace. For example, don't tell me that you oversaw training initiatives at your current employer. Tell me that you trained 85% of the staff to use the new software and that, as a result, quarterly productivity increased 115%. The first tells me nothing; the second tells me what value you brought to the workplace. So it is important to shift away from bland job descriptions to accomplishments.
For me, the cover letter is much more important than the resume. The cover letter is the place where applicants can show me that they have done their research on my organization. Over 99% of the people whom I interview know little to nothing about my organization or its mission and values even though all of that information is a click away. If an applicant did not even take the time to look up that information on the Internet, it sends a clear signal to me about the applicant's lack of priorities. Demonstrate you have done that research by referring to my organization's mission and values in your cover letter. The cover letter is also the place where applicants can tell me about the soft skills they developed. Concrete examples help me see those skills in action.
Steve Wages Ph.D.
Director, Cloverdale Center for Youth and FamilyFaulkner University
Cloverdale Center for Youth & Family
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Customer Relations Manager job market given the pandemic?
Steve Wages Ph.D.: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the pre-pandemic projections for employment of mental health counselors, including pastoral counselors, for 2019-2020 were very strong with growth being much faster than the average for all occupations. A recent report by the Barna Research Group compared pre-pandemic levels of relational, mental, and emotional health to the results of surveys of relational health, stress, and anxiety associated with the coronavirus, political, and racial tensions.
As expected, relational, emotional, and mental health struggles have been greatly amplified which will only serve to increase the need or demand for the services provided by pastoral counselors. However, it has also been reported that urban churches are experiencing a 15-25% decline in giving with rural churches reporting even greater declines. Consequently, budgets are being streamlined for sustainability which will likely have a negative impact on the hiring of pastoral counselors, at least full-time, in this employment sector. Because the need for pastoral counseling is so great, graduates should think strategically about how they market their services.
For example, my church community cannot afford a full-time pastoral counselor, but is looking to contract with a group in private practice who are serving the needs of multiple congregations. Graduates may need to look at joining such a group of pastoral counselors who provide counseling services on a contract basis. Further, I believe the economic stimulus may create additional jobs in other employment sectors for pastoral counselors.
Rhiannon Kallis Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Social MediaThe University of Akron
School of Communication
What type of skills will young Customer Relations Managers need?
Rhiannon Kallis Ph.D.: Specifically referring to graduates going into the Communication field, I feel technology skills, crisis communication, and self-motivation will be crucial to possess. We shifted to remote work during the pandemic; many organizations may decide for resource and flexibility reasons to continue this mode even after the pandemic. Understanding how to use technology for teamwork will be a great skill to possess. In terms of using social media strategically, understanding best practices for each unique platform is important (i.e. best times to post, target markets on each platform, etc.) as well as understanding the analytics. Additionally, crisis communication skills and customer service communication will be beneficial. Organizations will need to continue to know which types of media (traditional and social media) to use for crisis messages and for managing customer service. Finally, employees will need to continue to be self-motivated as we work remotely.
What experience really stands out on Customer Relations Manager resumes?
Dr. Nicole Evans: When reviewing resumes, most employers look for relevant internships or work experience in their new, entry-level hires. Other experiences, such as leadership roles in student activities or sports are also valued by employers. Volunteer work and summer/part-time jobs also stand out on a resume.
Dr. Barbara Davis
William J. Atkins DeanCentenary College of Louisiana
Frost School of Business
What experience really stands out on Customer Relations Manager resumes?
Dr. Barbara Davis: Graduates participating in internships related to their areas of interest. Internships spanning more than one semester at the same firm stand out as well.
Eddy Ng Ph.D.
James and Elizabeth Freeman Professor of ManagementBucknell University
Freeman College of Management
What skills stand out on Customer Relations Manager resumes?
Eddy Ng Ph.D.: Some of the remote economy skills that will be required include:
- self-directed/motivated
- data literacy (analytics)
- digital creativity and design
- IT and cybersecurity, including coding
- distributed leadership
- remote communication and management
STEM will become even more critical
What skills stand out on Customer Relations Manager resumes?
Dr. Timothy Edwards: Writing and research skills. Analytical and critical thinking skills. Technical skills such as web design, graphic design, audio and video production skills. Employers are interested in potential employees knowledge, intelligence and skills.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Customer Relations Managers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Timothy Edwards: Like most jobs, opportunities exist in major media hubs like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta. But one can find digital media jobs in medium and small markets as well. Looking media and media-related jobs in non-traditional places such as hospitals, schools, colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, religious institutions could bear fruit for the enterprizing college graduate.