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Public relations/communications manager salary
Average public relations/communications manager salary
$82,261
Average Salary Overview
The average salary for a Public Relations/Communications Manager in the United States is $82,261 per year. Salaries can fluctuate based on various factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and industry sector. For instance, managers in larger metropolitan areas often earn higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
Salary by State
States such as California, New York, and Texas tend to offer higher compensation for public relations roles. In California, for example, the average salary can reach up to $95,000. Understanding regional salary variations can help job seekers target their applications effectively.
Industry Insights
Different industries also influence salary potential. Public relations managers in technology and healthcare sectors generally command higher salaries compared to those in non-profits. Moreover, obtaining advanced degrees or certifications can enhance career prospects and salary potential. By leveraging these insights, aspiring professionals can navigate their career paths strategically.
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Where can a Public Relations/Communications Manager earn more?
Average public relations/communications manager salary by state
The highest-paying states for public relations/communications managers are Nevada, New Jersey, and New York. The lowest average public relations/communications manager salary states are Maine, Alabama, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for public relations/communications managers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $100,293 | $48.22 |
| 2 | New York | $100,622 | $48.38 |
| 3 | Nevada | $101,162 | $48.64 |
| 4 | California | $99,608 | $47.89 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $99,430 | $47.80 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $99,172 | $47.68 |
| 7 | South Dakota | $87,933 | $42.28 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $100,925 | $48.52 |
| 9 | Vermont | $86,018 | $41.35 |
| 10 | Oregon | $89,433 | $43.00 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $93,223 | $44.82 |
| 12 | Michigan | $94,233 | $45.30 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $84,054 | $40.41 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $91,261 | $43.88 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $81,485 | $39.18 |
| 16 | Georgia | $84,152 | $40.46 |
| 17 | Arkansas | $83,277 | $40.04 |
| 18 | Virginia | $80,240 | $38.58 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $90,196 | $43.36 |
| 20 | Kansas | $85,824 | $41.26 |
| 21 | Texas | $80,625 | $38.76 |
| 22 | Idaho | $78,569 | $37.77 |
| 23 | Washington | $79,008 | $37.98 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $78,235 | $37.61 |
| 25 | Indiana | $78,944 | $37.95 |
| 26 | Montana | $72,928 | $35.06 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $70,049 | $33.68 |
| 28 | Iowa | $77,271 | $37.15 |
| 29 | Maryland | $77,073 | $37.05 |
| 30 | Colorado | $75,163 | $36.14 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $71,806 | $34.52 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $74,121 | $35.64 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $72,123 | $34.67 |
| 34 | Utah | $71,133 | $34.20 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $74,066 | $35.61 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $72,953 | $35.07 |
| 37 | Arizona | $71,276 | $34.27 |
| 38 | Alaska | $59,182 | $28.45 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $70,999 | $34.13 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $71,303 | $34.28 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $71,664 | $34.45 |
| 42 | Maine | $66,648 | $32.04 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $69,784 | $33.55 |
| 44 | Illinois | $70,470 | $33.88 |
| 45 | Ohio | $70,105 | $33.70 |
| 46 | Minnesota | $68,761 | $33.06 |
| 47 | Alabama | $66,236 | $31.84 |
| 48 | Missouri | $68,465 | $32.92 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $63,570 | $30.56 |
| 50 | Florida | $61,351 | $29.50 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $61,343 | $29.49 |
Highest paying cities for public relations/communications managers
The highest-paying cities for public relations/communications managers are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Jersey City, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $108,521 | $52.17 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $100,991 | $48.55 |
| 3 | Jersey City, NJ | $100,895 | $48.51 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $99,281 | $47.73 |
| 5 | Hartford, CT | $98,655 | $47.43 |
| 6 | Detroit, MI | $94,648 | $45.50 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $93,050 | $44.74 |
| 8 | Atlanta, GA | $84,554 | $40.65 |
| 9 | Arlington, VA | $82,016 | $39.43 |
| 10 | Austin, TX | $81,264 | $39.07 |
| 11 | Seattle, WA | $79,128 | $38.04 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $78,907 | $37.94 |
| 13 | Baltimore, MD | $77,276 | $37.15 |
| 14 | Des Moines, IA | $76,803 | $36.92 |
| 15 | Colorado Springs, CO | $75,242 | $36.17 |
| 16 | Philadelphia, PA | $74,583 | $35.86 |
| 17 | Phoenix, AZ | $71,575 | $34.41 |
| 18 | Cleveland, OH | $70,969 | $34.12 |
| 19 | Salt Lake City, UT | $70,922 | $34.10 |
| 20 | Charlotte, NC | $70,784 | $34.03 |
Public relations/communications manager salary details
A public relations/communications manager's salary ranges from $56,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $120,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a public relations/communications manager's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $120,000 | $10,000 | $58 |
| 75th Percentile | $100,000 | $8,333 | $48 |
| Average | $82,261 | $6,855 | $40 |
| 25th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| 10th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
Highest paying public relations/communications manager jobs
The highest paying types of public relations/communications managers are vice president of public relations, director, customer relations, and communications director.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director, Customer Relations | $134,672 | $11,223 | $64.75 | 26,470 |
| Community Relations Director | $96,788 | $8,066 | $46.53 | 33,569 |
| Vice President Of Public Relations | $143,172 | $11,931 | $68.83 | 55,300 |
| Manager Of Corporate Communications | $84,161 | $7,013 | $40.46 | 34,908 |
| Communications Director | $107,700 | $8,975 | $51.78 | 27,939 |
| Communications Lead | $96,988 | $8,082 | $46.63 | 20,413 |
Top companies hiring public relations/communications managers now:
Which companies pay public relations/communications managers the most?
Public relations/communications manager salaries at Linklaters and SoulCycle Holdings, LLC are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average public relations/communications manager salary at companies like Cisco and Amazon are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Linklaters | $176,144 | $84.68 |
| 2 | SoulCycle Holdings, LLC | $143,180 | $68.84 |
| 3 | Cisco | $140,523 | $67.56 |
| 4 | Amazon | $137,778 | $66.24 |
| 5 | Natera | $132,289 | $63.60 |
| 6 | Tallgrass Energy | $119,816 | $57.60 |
| 7 | BGC Partners | $118,102 | $56.78 |
| 8 | American Express | $111,437 | $53.58 |
| 9 | U.S. Bank | $105,102 | $50.53 |
| 10 | Salesforce | $103,679 | $49.85 |
| 11 | Reno, NV | $103,038 | $49.54 |
| 12 | Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | $99,667 | $47.92 |
| 13 | Hormel Foods | $99,469 | $47.82 |
| 14 | JTV | $98,469 | $47.34 |
| 15 | Anova | $93,552 | $44.98 |
| 16 | Fortive | $92,196 | $44.33 |
| 17 | Hewlett Packard Enterprise | $92,134 | $44.30 |
| 18 | Riskified | $91,750 | $44.11 |
| 19 | Panasonic | $91,190 | $43.84 |
| 20 | Colorado State Express | $90,835 | $43.67 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Public Relations/Communications Manager salary by industry
The average public relations/communications manager salary varies across industries:
- The average public relations/communications manager salary in the manufacturing industry is $96,559, the highest of any industry.
- The average public relations/communications manager salary in the finance industry is $92,912.
- Public relations/communications managers in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $83,886, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for public relations/communications managers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $96,559 | $46.42 |
| 2 | Internet | $92,912 | $44.67 |
| 3 | Automotive | $91,392 | $43.94 |
| 4 | Professional | $90,809 | $43.66 |
| 5 | Technology | $89,619 | $43.09 |
| 6 | Hospitality | $83,886 | $40.33 |
High paying public relations/communications manager jobs
Public relations/communications manager salary trends
The average public relations/communications manager salary has risen by $19,322 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average public relations/communications manager earned $62,939 annually, but today, they earn $82,261 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for public relations/communications managers over the last decade.
Compare public relations/communications manager salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average public relations/communications manager salary over time
Compare public relations/communications manager salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Public relations/communications manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $82,300 | $39.55 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $79,000 | $38.00 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | $77,400 | $37.23 | +3.1% |
| 2022 | $75,100 | $36.09 | +3.6% |
| 2021 | $72,400 | $34.80 | +3.0% |
Recently added public relations/communications manager salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LHH | Manager Communications Public Affairs | Washington, DC | 06/26/2025 | $83,480 |
| Yoox Net-A-Porter Group | Public Relations & Communications Manager, Net-A | New York, NY | 06/21/2025 | $95,000 |
| Athens Services | Communication/Public Relations Manager | Industry, PA | 06/20/2025 | $100,000 |
| Phoenix Art Museum | Communications & PR Manager | Phoenix, AZ | 06/20/2025 | $60,000 |
| Signal Group | Manager, Outdoors Communications and Public Affairs | Washington, DC | 06/15/2025 | $70,000 |
| Children's Institute, Inc. | Communications and Public Relations Manager | Los Angeles, CA | 06/13/2025 | $84,641 |
| Barilla Group | Public Affairs, External Relations and Sustainability Communications Manager | Northbrook, IL | 06/11/2025 | $110,000 |
| Athens Services | Communication/Public Relations Manager | Industry, CA | 05/30/2025 | $100,000 |
| Spotify | Senior PR & Communications Manager-Product & Tech | New York, NY | 05/26/2025 | $153,206 |
| Amazon | PR Manager, Customer, AWS, AWS Communications | Seattle, WA | 05/21/2025 | $114,000 |
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