Public Relation Managers Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Public Relations Managers — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$146,910
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$70.63
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$284,990
entry level starts ~$82,410
Pay Grade
A+
elite pay · 75,000 employed

How much does a Public Relation Managers make?

A Public Relation Managers earns a median annual salary of $146,910 in the United States, which works out to roughly $70.63 per hour for full-time work. Most Public Relations Managers earn between $82,410 at the entry level and $284,990 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $106,580 and $204,520 a year.

That is $85,520 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Public Relation Managers salary range by percentile

Half of all Public Relations Managers earn between $106,580 and $204,520 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$82,410$39.62
25th percentile (early career)$106,580$51.24
50th percentile (median)$146,910$70.63
75th percentile (experienced)$204,520$98.33
90th percentile (top earners)$284,990$137.01

Highest-paying states for Public Relation Managers

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Public Relation Managers pay at $197,600 a year, followed by New York ($180,880) and Virginia ($176,340). At the other end, West Virginia posts the lowest median at $82,380 — a gap of $115,220 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1District of Columbia$197,600$95.00+35%
2New York$180,880$86.96+23%
3Virginia$176,340$84.78+20%
4New Jersey$174,980$84.13+19%
5Massachusetts$171,740$82.57+17%

Workforce and education

About 75,000 people work as Public Relations Managers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $164,760 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Public Relation Managers make in the United States?
The median Public Relation Managers salary in the United States is $146,910 per year, or about $70.63 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $82,410, while the top 10% of earners make $284,990 or more.
How does Public Relation Managers pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of A+ (elite pay), the Public Relation Managers median of $146,910 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Public Relations Managers the most?
District of Columbia is the highest-paying state for Public Relations Managers, with a median salary of $197,600 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Public Relation Managers?
Becoming a Public Relation Managers typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Public Relations Managers work in the United States?
About 75,000 people were employed as Public Relations Managers in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.