How long does it take to be a public relations manager?

It takes 9 to 11 years to become a public relations manager. This includes the time it takes to earn a bachelor's degree, as well as at least five years of work experience. Most public relations managers have bachelor's degrees in journalism, fundraising, English, communications, public relations, or related fields.

What is a public relations manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Stefanie Leiter,

Jody McBrien

A public relations manager creates and maintains a positive public image for an organization or individual. They implement communication strategies to build relationships with the public, media, and stakeholders. This includes writing press releases, organizing events, managing social media accounts, and responding to inquiries. They also handle crisis management, negative publicity, and protecting their client's reputation. Overall, a public relations manager shapes the public perception of an organization or individual.

What general advice would you give to a public relations manager?

Stefanie Leiter

Assistant Professor of Public Relations, Anderson University

My advice is for students to start connecting early via LinkedIn. Years ago, employers looked at GPAs or resumes. Now, they are wondering who you know and what you did to excel in your program before your career.

ScorePublic Relations ManagerUS Average

Salary

7.1

Avg. Salary $91,426

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.7

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.42%

Asian 5.10%

Black or African American 5.91%

Hispanic or Latino 9.07%

Unknown 4.66%

White 74.85%

Gender

female 65.46%

male 34.54%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress level

8.7

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.4

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.8

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a public relations manager?

Pros

Opportunity to work with high-profile clients
Variety of tasks and projects
Room for creativity and innovation
Potential for high salary and bonuses
Possibility for career advancement and leadership roles

Cons

Long working hours, including weekends and evenings
Dealing with difficult clients or stakeholders
Pressure to achieve measurable results and ROI for clients
Risk of burnout or mental health issues due to high-pressure work
Difficulty maintaining work-life balance due to unpredictable schedule

Key steps to become a public relations manager

Explore public relations manager education requirements

Most common public relations manager degrees

Bachelor's

78.5 %

Master's

10.9 %

Associate

6.0 %

Start to develop specific public relations manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Press Releases	19.78%
Web Content	4.62%
Pr Campaigns	4.40%
Marketing Campaigns	4.27%
Digital Marketing	3.62%

Complete relevant public relations manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New public relations managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a public relations manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real public relations manager resumes.

Research public relations manager duties and responsibilities

Manage social media - provide content ideas, monitor FB and Instagram activity.
Manage events and promotions; create Christmas event, manage twitter account and make marketing plans.
Lead a successful rebranding effort to transition the organization into a premier corporate training provider in SoCal.
Lead a rebranding and revitalization of the intranet by focusing on improving internal communication, search capabilities, and branding elements.

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