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Public relations director salary
Average public relations director salary
$94,692
Average Public Relations Director Salary
The average salary for a Public Relations Director is approximately $94,692 per year, translating to about $46 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, industry, and level of experience. For instance, those in metropolitan areas often earn more due to the higher cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
Factors Influencing Salary
Experience plays a crucial role in determining salary. Directors with several years in the field typically command higher salaries. Additionally, working within industries such as technology and finance can yield better compensation compared to non-profit sectors.
Highest Paying States
Public Relations Directors in states like California, New York, and Texas often report higher earnings, reflecting the concentration of corporations and media outlets in these areas. Understanding these dynamics helps job seekers gauge their potential income and make informed decisions about their career paths.
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Where can a Public Relations Director earn more?
Public relations director salary estimates from across the web
Average public relations director salary by state
The highest-paying states for public relations directors are Nevada, New Mexico, and Idaho. The lowest average public relations director salary states are Mississippi, Georgia, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for public relations directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $136,009 | $65.39 |
| 2 | Oregon | $118,754 | $57.09 |
| 3 | Delaware | $120,387 | $57.88 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $119,906 | $57.65 |
| 5 | Washington | $119,120 | $57.27 |
| 6 | Idaho | $121,770 | $58.54 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $122,162 | $58.73 |
| 8 | Virginia | $118,161 | $56.81 |
| 9 | New York | $114,589 | $55.09 |
| 10 | Illinois | $112,870 | $54.26 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $115,199 | $55.38 |
| 12 | California | $114,680 | $55.13 |
| 13 | Colorado | $111,204 | $53.46 |
| 14 | Kansas | $112,452 | $54.06 |
| 15 | Utah | $103,801 | $49.90 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $111,280 | $53.50 |
| 17 | Iowa | $110,997 | $53.36 |
| 18 | Arkansas | $110,633 | $53.19 |
| 19 | Maryland | $111,558 | $53.63 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $108,078 | $51.96 |
| 21 | South Dakota | $107,098 | $51.49 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $109,265 | $52.53 |
| 23 | Vermont | $105,968 | $50.95 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $98,042 | $47.14 |
| 25 | Arizona | $102,702 | $49.38 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $101,178 | $48.64 |
| 27 | Missouri | $104,927 | $50.45 |
| 28 | Ohio | $99,214 | $47.70 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $97,080 | $46.67 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $95,039 | $45.69 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $100,895 | $48.51 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $86,023 | $41.36 |
| 33 | Alabama | $84,872 | $40.80 |
| 34 | Montana | $89,021 | $42.80 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $95,762 | $46.04 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $93,806 | $45.10 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $80,720 | $38.81 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $91,460 | $43.97 |
| 39 | Massachusetts | $87,304 | $41.97 |
| 40 | Indiana | $92,356 | $44.40 |
| 41 | Minnesota | $89,172 | $42.87 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $78,016 | $37.51 |
| 43 | Michigan | $86,251 | $41.47 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $89,572 | $43.06 |
| 45 | Georgia | $80,356 | $38.63 |
| 46 | Alaska | $83,770 | $40.27 |
| 47 | Maine | $82,532 | $39.68 |
| 48 | Texas | $81,640 | $39.25 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $79,656 | $38.30 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $75,324 | $36.21 |
| 51 | Florida | $67,241 | $32.33 |
Highest paying cities for public relations directors
The highest-paying cities for public relations directors are Napa, CA, Santa Fe, NM, and Jersey City, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Napa, CA | $127,566 | $61.33 |
| 2 | Santa Fe, NM | $125,596 | $60.38 |
| 3 | Jersey City, NJ | $120,575 | $57.97 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $120,268 | $57.82 |
| 5 | Fredericksburg, VA | $120,039 | $57.71 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $117,868 | $56.67 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $115,807 | $55.68 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $115,371 | $55.47 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $113,676 | $54.65 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $111,324 | $53.52 |
| 11 | Sioux City, IA | $109,122 | $52.46 |
| 12 | Salt Lake City, UT | $103,388 | $49.71 |
| 13 | Chandler, AZ | $102,834 | $49.44 |
| 14 | Charlotte, NC | $94,061 | $45.22 |
| 15 | Indianapolis, IN | $92,343 | $44.40 |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN | $89,177 | $42.87 |
| 17 | Boston, MA | $87,298 | $41.97 |
| 18 | Richardson, TX | $86,870 | $41.76 |
| 19 | Detroit, MI | $86,617 | $41.64 |
| 20 | Birmingham, AL | $85,415 | $41.06 |
Public relations director salary details
A public relations director's salary ranges from $59,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $150,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a public relations director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $150,000 | $12,500 | $72 |
| 75th Percentile | $120,000 | $10,000 | $58 |
| Average | $94,692 | $7,891 | $46 |
| 25th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 10th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
Highest paying public relations director jobs
The highest paying types of public relations directors are vice president of public relations, director, customer relations, and director of client relations.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director Of Communications And Marketing | $87,324 | $7,277 | $41.98 | 109,600 |
| Manager Of Corporate Communications | $84,161 | $7,013 | $40.46 | 34,908 |
| Director Of Public Affairs | $114,639 | $9,553 | $55.11 | 26,290 |
| Director, Customer Relations | $134,672 | $11,223 | $64.75 | 26,470 |
| Director Of Client Relations | $116,480 | $9,707 | $56.00 | 63,226 |
| Communications Lead | $96,988 | $8,082 | $46.63 | 20,413 |
Top companies hiring public relations directors now:
Which companies pay public relations directors the most?
Public relations director salaries at Exelixis and Microsoft are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average public relations director salary at companies like Morris Heights Health Center and Burrell Behavioral Health are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exelixis | $164,530 | $79.10 |
| 2 | Microsoft | $161,060 | $77.43 |
| 3 | Morris Heights Health Center | $159,036 | $76.46 |
| 4 | Burrell Behavioral Health | $152,684 | $73.41 |
| 5 | Ampere | $148,183 | $71.24 |
| 6 | Rational Enterprise | $144,027 | $69.24 |
| 7 | Thriveworks | $134,452 | $64.64 |
| 8 | Inspira Health Network | $131,614 | $63.28 |
| 9 | Caspio | $127,299 | $61.20 |
| 10 | We Communications | $125,689 | $60.43 |
| 11 | Treasury Wine Estates | $124,150 | $59.69 |
| 12 | Shopbop | $124,012 | $59.62 |
| 13 | BlackRock | $123,774 | $59.51 |
| 14 | Remitly | $122,145 | $58.72 |
| 15 | CVS Health | $120,183 | $57.78 |
| 16 | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan | $116,998 | $56.25 |
| 17 | MicroStrategy | $116,686 | $56.10 |
| 18 | CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield | $115,707 | $55.63 |
| 19 | MHS | $114,546 | $55.07 |
| 20 | University of Alaska | $112,923 | $54.29 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Public Relations Director salary by industry
The average public relations director salary varies across industries:
- The average public relations director salary in the internet industry is $114,632, the highest of any industry.
- The average public relations director salary in the finance industry is $102,746.
- Public relations directors in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $76,702, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for public relations directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Internet | $114,632 | $55.11 |
| 2 | Hospitality | $102,746 | $49.40 |
| 3 | Health Care | $102,047 | $49.06 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $101,460 | $48.78 |
| 5 | Professional | $96,161 | $46.23 |
| 6 | Education | $80,062 | $38.49 |
| 7 | Non Profits | $76,702 | $36.88 |
High paying public relations director jobs
Public relations director salary trends
The average public relations director salary has risen by $22,242 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average public relations director earned $72,450 annually, but today, they earn $94,692 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for public relations directors over the last decade.
Compare public relations director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average public relations director salary over time
Compare public relations director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Public relations director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $94,700 | $45.52 | +3.9% |
| 2025 | $91,000 | $43.74 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $89,100 | $42.85 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $86,400 | $41.54 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $83,300 | $40.06 | +3.0% |
Recently added public relations director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B2B Marketing Archives | PR Director | Boston, MA | 06/29/2025 | $110,000 |
| B2B Marketing Archives | Associate PR Director | Seattle, WA | 06/29/2025 | $93,500 |
| Contentsquare | North America Public Relations Director | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $140,000 |
| Curious Plot | Public Relations Director | Minneapolis, MN | 06/25/2025 | $95,000 |
| Honeywell | Director Government Relations-NA | Washington, DC | 06/24/2025 | $206,000 |
| University of Minnesota | Director of Public and Partner Relations | Minneapolis, MN | 06/24/2025 | $88,575 |
| The Research Foundation for Suny | Director, Strategic Planning and Public Relations-The Research Foundation for Suny | Albany, NY | 06/23/2025 | $146,837 |
| Rubenstein Public Relations | Director Public Relations (Finance Specialty) | New York, NY | 06/21/2025 | $130,000 |
| Freshworks | Director of Product PR | San Mateo, CA | 06/21/2025 | $197,800 |
| Washington County, Pa | Public Relations Director | Washington, PA | 06/21/2025 | $84,460 |
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