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Director of public affairs salary
Average director of public affairs salary
$114,639
Understanding the Salary of a Director of Public Affairs
The Director of Public Affairs is responsible for managing an organization's public image, often dealing with media relations, government affairs, and community outreach. As of October 2025, the average salary for this role is $114,639 annually. Factors influencing salary include geographic location, industry, and years of experience. For instance, states like California and New York tend to offer higher salaries, reflecting their competitive job markets.
In addition to base salary, many directors also receive benefits such as bonuses, health insurance, and retirement plans. With a growing emphasis on public perception, demand for qualified professionals is on the rise, providing ample opportunities in this field. Those interested in pursuing this career should focus on building strong communication and strategic planning skills to enhance their employability.
Salary Estimates by State
Investigating salaries across various states reveals significant differences. For example, directors in metropolitan areas often earn more due to a higher cost of living and increased demand for public relations expertise. Analyzing these trends can help prospective candidates make informed decisions about their job search and career trajectories.
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Where can a Director Of Public Affairs earn more?
Director of public affairs salary estimates from across the web
Average director of public affairs salary by state
The highest-paying states for directors of public affairs are Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. The lowest average director of public affairs salary states are Mississippi, Wyoming, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for directors of public affairs
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $143,872 | $69.17 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $122,442 | $58.87 |
| 3 | Arizona | $137,119 | $65.92 |
| 4 | Delaware | $133,433 | $64.15 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $131,633 | $63.29 |
| 6 | Iowa | $122,260 | $58.78 |
| 7 | Maryland | $132,447 | $63.68 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $136,925 | $65.83 |
| 9 | California | $127,908 | $61.49 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $128,947 | $61.99 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $128,053 | $61.56 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $119,165 | $57.29 |
| 13 | Vermont | $123,775 | $59.51 |
| 14 | Oregon | $119,699 | $57.55 |
| 15 | Texas | $121,698 | $58.51 |
| 16 | Idaho | $130,060 | $62.53 |
| 17 | New York | $117,675 | $56.57 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $111,734 | $53.72 |
| 19 | Kansas | $120,552 | $57.96 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $120,157 | $57.77 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $120,230 | $57.80 |
| 22 | Virginia | $113,811 | $54.72 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $118,129 | $56.79 |
| 24 | Missouri | $114,479 | $55.04 |
| 25 | Alabama | $101,010 | $48.56 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $100,102 | $48.13 |
| 27 | Ohio | $109,194 | $52.50 |
| 28 | Georgia | $105,184 | $50.57 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $108,135 | $51.99 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $109,592 | $52.69 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | $107,286 | $51.58 |
| 32 | Alaska | $112,070 | $53.88 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $103,945 | $49.97 |
| 34 | Illinois | $106,376 | $51.14 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $103,278 | $49.65 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $96,172 | $46.24 |
| 37 | Washington | $105,503 | $50.72 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $104,001 | $50.00 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $102,905 | $49.47 |
| 40 | Montana | $99,221 | $47.70 |
| 41 | Utah | $100,028 | $48.09 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $92,471 | $44.46 |
| 43 | Indiana | $101,161 | $48.64 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $98,983 | $47.59 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $103,900 | $49.95 |
| 46 | Michigan | $96,251 | $46.27 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $95,377 | $45.85 |
| 48 | Colorado | $91,582 | $44.03 |
| 49 | Maine | $97,351 | $46.80 |
| 50 | Florida | $92,349 | $44.40 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $94,403 | $45.39 |
Highest paying cities for directors of public affairs
The highest-paying cities for directors of public affairs are Las Vegas, NV, San Francisco, CA, and Baltimore, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas, NV | $147,279 | $70.81 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $134,604 | $64.71 |
| 3 | Baltimore, MD | $133,963 | $64.41 |
| 4 | Jersey City, NJ | $132,775 | $63.83 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $130,131 | $62.56 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $125,319 | $60.25 |
| 7 | Des Moines, IA | $121,886 | $58.60 |
| 8 | Burlington, NC | $120,707 | $58.03 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $118,635 | $57.04 |
| 10 | New York, NY | $118,193 | $56.82 |
| 11 | Arlington, VA | $114,323 | $54.96 |
| 12 | Columbus, OH | $109,545 | $52.67 |
| 13 | Madison, WI | $108,002 | $51.92 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $106,912 | $51.40 |
| 15 | Seattle, WA | $105,979 | $50.95 |
| 16 | Rochester, MN | $104,729 | $50.35 |
| 17 | Winter Park, FL | $95,028 | $45.69 |
| 18 | Oklahoma City, OK | $92,937 | $44.68 |
| 19 | Colorado Springs, CO | $92,404 | $44.42 |
Director of public affairs salary details
A director of public affairs's salary ranges from $70,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $187,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a director of public affairs's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $187,000 | $15,583 | $90 |
| 75th Percentile | $148,000 | $12,333 | $71 |
| Average | $114,639 | $9,553 | $55 |
| 25th Percentile | $88,000 | $7,333 | $42 |
| 10th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
Highest paying director of public affairs jobs
The highest paying types of directors of public affairs are vice president of communication, director, customer relations, and director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Relations Manager | $71,899 | $5,992 | $34.57 | 32,850 |
| Communications Lead | $96,988 | $8,082 | $46.63 | 20,413 |
| Community Development Director | $109,396 | $9,116 | $52.59 | 66,252 |
| Communications Manager | $81,304 | $6,775 | $39.09 | 26,350 |
| Community Relations Director | $96,788 | $8,066 | $46.53 | 33,569 |
| Public Relations Director | $94,692 | $7,891 | $45.52 | 31,693 |
Top companies hiring directors of public affairs now:
Which companies pay directors of public affairs the most?
Director of public affairs salaries at Kaiser Permanente and Federal Reserve Bank of New York are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average director of public affairs salary at companies like APCO Worldwide and Federal Reserve are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaiser Permanente | $199,097 | $95.72 |
| 2 | Federal Reserve Bank of New York | $174,231 | $83.76 |
| 3 | APCO Worldwide | $170,476 | $81.96 |
| 4 | Federal Reserve | $170,410 | $81.93 |
| 5 | Federal Reserve Bank | $168,323 | $80.92 |
| 6 | Trinity Health | $167,460 | $80.51 |
| 7 | Novo Nordisk | $148,955 | $71.61 |
| 8 | Mayo Clinic | $148,372 | $71.33 |
| 9 | Planned Parenthood | $147,722 | $71.02 |
| 10 | National Insurance Services | $143,079 | $68.79 |
| 11 | Bunge | $136,553 | $65.65 |
| 12 | Zscaler | $132,891 | $63.89 |
| 13 | Oscar | $131,190 | $63.07 |
| 14 | Packaging Corporation of America | $127,519 | $61.31 |
| 15 | Estée Lauder | $126,466 | $60.80 |
| 16 | Scripps Networks Interactive | $125,668 | $60.42 |
| 17 | University of Virginia | $123,543 | $59.40 |
| 18 | American Express | $123,529 | $59.39 |
| 19 | Amgen | $123,142 | $59.20 |
| 20 | Zeno Group Investments | $122,993 | $59.13 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Director of public affairs salary trends
The average director of public affairs salary has risen by $26,927 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average director of public affairs earned $87,711 annually, but today, they earn $114,639 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for directors of public affairs over the last decade.
Compare director of public affairs salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average director of public affairs salary over time
Compare director of public affairs salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Director of public affairs salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $115,000 | $55.11 | +3.9% |
| 2025 | $110,000 | $52.96 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $108,000 | $51.88 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $105,000 | $50.29 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $101,000 | $48.50 | +3.0% |
Recently added director of public affairs salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern States Power Co | Director, Regional Government Affairs | Minneapolis, MN | 06/28/2025 | $144,800 |
| Save Mart Supermarkets | SR. Director, Communications, PR and Government Affairs | Modesto, CA | 06/28/2025 | $182,107 |
| City of Commerce City | Deputy Director of Public Affairs | Commerce City, CO | 06/28/2025 | $117,025 |
| RXN | Director of Public Affairs and Research | Washington, DC | 06/24/2025 | $85,000 |
| Berlinrosen | Account Director, Cities & Public Affairs | Fine, NY | 06/21/2025 | $110,000 |
| Novo Nordisk | Director-Public Affairs Strategic Planning and Operations | Washington, DC | 06/20/2025 | $181,670 |
| Takeda Pharmaceuticals | Director, Federal Government Affairs | Washington, DC | 06/18/2025 | $174,500 |
| Bryson Gillette | Director, Public Affairs | Los Angeles, CA | 06/16/2025 | $90,000 |
| Gilead Sciences | Director, Public Affairs | Foster City, CA | 06/12/2025 | $210,375 |
| Persistent Systems | Director of Government Affairs | Washington, DC | 06/10/2025 | $180,000 |
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