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Media relations manager salary
Average media relations manager salary
$86,031
Average Media Relations Manager Salary
The average salary for a Media Relations Manager is approximately $86,031 per year. This figure can vary significantly based on a range of factors including location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which one operates. For instance, those in metropolitan areas often see higher salaries due to increased demand and cost of living adjustments.
Where Can a Media Relations Manager Earn More?
Certain states offer higher salaries for Media Relations Managers. For example, positions in New York and California typically command some of the highest compensation packages, reflecting the concentration of major media firms and public relations agencies. Understanding these geographical salary differences can help professionals make informed career decisions.
Salary Estimates from Across the Web
Salary data from various job platforms further highlight the potential earnings in this role. For instance, Glassdoor and Indeed report similar averages, with some listings exceeding $100,000 annually, especially for those with extensive experience or specialized skills in crisis communication and brand management.
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Where can a Media Relations Manager earn more?
Media relations manager salary estimates from across the web
Average media relations manager salary by state
The average media relations manager salary in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average media relations manager salary states are South Carolina, Maine, and Wyoming.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for media relations managers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $105,252 | $50.60 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $103,669 | $49.84 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $104,738 | $50.35 |
| 4 | Nevada | $101,258 | $48.68 |
| 5 | Vermont | $92,767 | $44.60 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $103,106 | $49.57 |
| 7 | California | $99,760 | $47.96 |
| 8 | New York | $94,230 | $45.30 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $95,961 | $46.14 |
| 10 | South Dakota | $90,861 | $43.68 |
| 11 | Illinois | $91,278 | $43.88 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $90,192 | $43.36 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $91,084 | $43.79 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $96,640 | $46.46 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $85,262 | $40.99 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $90,188 | $43.36 |
| 17 | Arkansas | $90,792 | $43.65 |
| 18 | Arizona | $89,704 | $43.13 |
| 19 | Virginia | $87,252 | $41.95 |
| 20 | Kansas | $90,111 | $43.32 |
| 21 | Texas | $85,836 | $41.27 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $94,715 | $45.54 |
| 23 | Michigan | $83,729 | $40.25 |
| 24 | Utah | $78,081 | $37.54 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $84,052 | $40.41 |
| 26 | Indiana | $84,743 | $40.74 |
| 27 | Idaho | $77,414 | $37.22 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $79,007 | $37.98 |
| 29 | Ohio | $80,851 | $38.87 |
| 30 | Maryland | $79,249 | $38.10 |
| 31 | Alaska | $73,694 | $35.43 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $81,249 | $39.06 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $76,994 | $37.02 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $77,006 | $37.02 |
| 35 | Oregon | $74,649 | $35.89 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $70,323 | $33.81 |
| 37 | Maine | $71,663 | $34.45 |
| 38 | Iowa | $76,955 | $37.00 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $76,031 | $36.55 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $76,327 | $36.70 |
| 41 | New Hampshire | $75,253 | $36.18 |
| 42 | Montana | $71,934 | $34.58 |
| 43 | Washington | $72,285 | $34.75 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $74,087 | $35.62 |
| 45 | Florida | $73,260 | $35.22 |
| 46 | Alabama | $73,888 | $35.52 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $71,780 | $34.51 |
| 48 | Colorado | $69,645 | $33.48 |
| 49 | Georgia | $69,481 | $33.40 |
| 50 | Missouri | $71,798 | $34.52 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $68,115 | $32.75 |
Highest paying cities for media relations managers
The highest-paying cities for media relations managers are Burlingame, CA, Philadelphia, PA, and Greenwich, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burlingame, CA | $105,492 | $50.72 |
| 2 | Philadelphia, PA | $105,235 | $50.59 |
| 3 | Greenwich, CT | $104,057 | $50.03 |
| 4 | Mount Laurel, NJ | $103,368 | $49.70 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $95,975 | $46.14 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $94,475 | $45.42 |
| 7 | Evanston, IL | $91,756 | $44.11 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $90,055 | $43.30 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $89,805 | $43.18 |
| 10 | Austin, TX | $86,416 | $41.55 |
| 11 | Livonia, MI | $84,003 | $40.39 |
| 12 | Lebanon, TN | $79,901 | $38.41 |
| 13 | Baltimore, MD | $79,279 | $38.11 |
| 14 | Cincinnati, OH | $79,212 | $38.08 |
| 15 | Eden Prairie, MN | $76,306 | $36.69 |
| 16 | Huntsville, AL | $75,038 | $36.08 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $73,302 | $35.24 |
| 18 | Bellevue, WA | $72,435 | $34.82 |
| 19 | Columbia, SC | $72,279 | $34.75 |
| 20 | Alpharetta, GA | $70,023 | $33.66 |
Media relations manager salary details
A media relations manager's salary ranges from $57,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $129,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a media relations manager's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $129,000 | $10,750 | $62 |
| 75th Percentile | $106,000 | $8,833 | $51 |
| Average | $86,031 | $7,169 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
| 10th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
Highest paying media relations manager jobs
The highest paying types of media relations managers are director, customer relations, director of public affairs, and media director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director Of Public Affairs | $114,639 | $9,553 | $55.11 | 26,290 |
| Manager Of Corporate Communications | $84,161 | $7,013 | $40.46 | 34,908 |
| Public Information Officer | $56,725 | $4,727 | $27.27 | 129,237 |
| Communications Lead | $96,988 | $8,082 | $46.63 | 20,413 |
| Director, Customer Relations | $134,672 | $11,223 | $64.75 | 26,470 |
| Communications Director | $107,700 | $8,975 | $51.78 | 27,939 |
Top companies hiring media relations managers now:
Which companies pay media relations managers the most?
Media relations manager salaries at Shearman & Sterling and Ross Stores are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average media relations manager salary at companies like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shearman & Sterling | $178,143 | $85.65 |
| 2 | Ross Stores | $152,851 | $73.49 |
| 3 | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | $146,910 | $70.63 |
| 4 | Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group | $141,235 | $67.90 |
| 5 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $130,987 | $62.97 |
| 6 | Interactive Brokers | $117,327 | $56.41 |
| 7 | The University of Chicago | $114,957 | $55.27 |
| 8 | Siemens Enterprise Communications Inc | $114,621 | $55.11 |
| 9 | University of California-Berkeley | $114,001 | $54.81 |
| 10 | Nostrum Laboratories | $112,346 | $54.01 |
| 11 | HP | $111,731 | $53.72 |
| 12 | White & Case | $111,673 | $53.69 |
| 13 | Corning Incorporated | $110,940 | $53.34 |
| 14 | PepsiCo | $110,036 | $52.90 |
| 15 | Athletico | $109,118 | $52.46 |
| 16 | Institute of Food Technologists | $108,278 | $52.06 |
| 17 | Campbell Soup | $107,782 | $51.82 |
| 18 | Beaumont Health | $106,343 | $51.13 |
| 19 | Rocky Mountain Institute | $105,580 | $50.76 |
| 20 | Wells Fargo | $104,763 | $50.37 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Media Relations Manager salary by industry
The average media relations manager salary varies across industries:
- The average media relations manager salary in the finance industry is $109,115, the highest of any industry.
- The average media relations manager salary in the finance industry is $107,310.
- Media relations managers in the transportation industry earn an average salary of $73,552, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for media relations managers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $109,115 | $52.46 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $107,310 | $51.59 |
| 3 | Media | $97,154 | $46.71 |
| 4 | Hospitality | $96,828 | $46.55 |
| 5 | Health Care | $93,952 | $45.17 |
| 6 | Non Profits | $82,940 | $39.88 |
| 7 | Transportation | $73,552 | $35.36 |
High paying media relations manager jobs
Media relations manager salary trends
The average media relations manager salary has risen by $20,208 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average media relations manager earned $65,823 annually, but today, they earn $86,031 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for media relations managers over the last decade.
Compare media relations manager salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average media relations manager salary over time
Compare media relations manager salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Media relations manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $86,000 | $41.36 | +3.9% |
| 2025 | $82,700 | $39.74 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $81,000 | $38.93 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $78,500 | $37.74 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $75,700 | $36.40 | +3.0% |
Recently added media relations manager salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Charlotte, Nc | Media Relations Manager | Charlotte, NC | 06/30/2025 | $89,499 |
| Kean University | Lead Writer and Media Relations Manager, Office of University Relations | Union, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $75,000 |
| Padilla | Media Relations Manager | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $85,000 |
| Jonathan Adler | Manager, PR & Social Media | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $70,000 |
| JND | [Hybrid] Media Relations Manager) | Englewood Cliffs, NJ | 06/19/2025 | $87,654 |
| Nycfc | Manager, Media Relations | Orangeburg, NY | 06/01/2025 | $70,000 |
| Neuberger Berman | Head of Media Relations | Day, NY | 05/25/2025 | $200,000 |
| Lockheed Martin | Media Relations Manager/Dallas, TX or | Orlando, FL | 05/24/2025 | $109,100 |
| Nami | Manager, Media Relations | Arlington, VA | 05/23/2025 | $65,000 |
| Northern Trust Company | Head of Media Relations | Chicago, IL | 05/22/2025 | $137,400 |
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