Public Relations Managers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for public relations managerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $164,760 ≈ $79/hr
National median salary $146,910
Total employment 74,850 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +5%
Faster than average
Annual openings 6,600 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 83,200 → 87,300 (+4,100)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$217,060
- New York$203,900
- Virginia$192,100
- New Jersey$185,230
- California$185,180
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- West Virginia$94,410
- Idaho$103,660
- Oklahoma$110,350
- Louisiana$110,400
- Montana$111,870
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $217,060 | $197,600 | $104 | +31.7% | 7,410 |
| 2 | New York | $203,900 | $180,880 | $98 | +23.8% | 7,710 |
| 3 | Virginia | $192,100 | $176,340 | $92 | +16.6% | 2,610 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $185,230 | $174,980 | $89 | +12.4% | 2,420 |
| 5 | California | $185,180 | $167,980 | $89 | +12.4% | 9,400 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $181,950 | $171,740 | $87 | +10.4% | 2,170 |
| 7 | Colorado | $170,820 | $162,870 | $82 | +3.7% | — |
| 8 | Washington | $168,850 | $159,440 | $81 | +2.5% | 1,610 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $167,860 | $154,210 | $81 | +1.9% | 890 |
| 10 | Maryland | $166,120 | $149,380 | $80 | +0.8% | 1,530 |
| 11 | Delaware | $165,760 | $153,010 | $80 | +0.6% | 170 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $163,300 | $156,080 | $79 | -0.9% | 210 |
| 13 | Maine | $151,990 | $166,940 | $73 | -7.8% | — |
| 14 | Georgia | $150,060 | $134,500 | $72 | -8.9% | 1,540 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $148,840 | $139,040 | $72 | -9.7% | 1,230 |
| 16 | Utah | $148,790 | $132,670 | $72 | -9.7% | 580 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $146,900 | $132,280 | $71 | -10.8% | 1,510 |
| 18 | Illinois | $142,720 | $131,990 | $69 | -13.4% | 2,770 |
| 19 | New Hampshire | $142,510 | $132,660 | $69 | -13.5% | 330 |
| 20 | Texas | $142,060 | $126,670 | $68 | -13.8% | 8,190 |
| 21 | Oregon | $138,720 | $131,190 | $67 | -15.8% | 1,410 |
| 22 | Florida | $137,560 | $127,550 | $66 | -16.5% | 2,990 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $136,310 | $104,170 | $66 | -17.3% | 340 |
| 24 | Nevada | $135,800 | $114,130 | $65 | -17.6% | 450 |
| 25 | Kansas | $135,260 | $129,760 | $65 | -17.9% | 300 |
| 26 | Ohio | $132,030 | $118,670 | $63 | -19.9% | 1,400 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $131,930 | $127,390 | $63 | -19.9% | 700 |
| 28 | Michigan | $131,830 | $117,900 | $63 | -20% | 1,720 |
| 29 | Arizona | $131,310 | $114,400 | $63 | -20.3% | 1,170 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $130,880 | $118,050 | $63 | -20.6% | 2,210 |
| 31 | Alaska | $129,370 | $120,920 | $62 | -21.5% | 380 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $129,050 | $113,980 | $62 | -21.7% | 1,010 |
| 33 | Missouri | $128,330 | $114,710 | $62 | -22.1% | 760 |
| 34 | Indiana | $128,300 | $114,960 | $62 | -22.1% | 600 |
| 35 | Iowa | $128,080 | $120,730 | $62 | -22.3% | 630 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $127,030 | $115,260 | $61 | -22.9% | 250 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $125,350 | $104,920 | $60 | -23.9% | 650 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $123,770 | $112,320 | $60 | -24.9% | 510 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $122,450 | $114,110 | $59 | -25.7% | 130 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $117,790 | $104,440 | $57 | -28.5% | 330 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $115,930 | $105,010 | $56 | -29.6% | 390 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $114,260 | $97,160 | $55 | -30.7% | 170 |
| 43 | Alabama | $112,490 | $98,210 | $54 | -31.7% | 540 |
| 44 | Montana | $111,870 | $99,990 | $54 | -32.1% | 180 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $110,400 | $94,380 | $53 | -33% | 320 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $110,350 | $96,030 | $53 | -33% | 490 |
| 47 | Idaho | $103,660 | $98,160 | $50 | -37.1% | — |
| 48 | West Virginia | $94,410 | $82,380 | $45 | -42.7% | 70 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 210 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $213,510 | $229,420 | 980 |
| 2 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $195,190 | $214,670 | 9,470 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $192,720 | $207,600 | 1,880 |
| 4 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $192,360 | $208,800 | 7,940 |
| 5 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $179,330 | $183,670 | 430 |
| 6 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $177,370 | $166,260 | 190 |
| 7 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $176,390 | $187,740 | 1,810 |
| 8 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $174,990 | $181,560 | 330 |
| 9 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $174,260 | $179,370 | — |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $166,590 | $177,510 | 1,110 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing public relations managerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $283,970 | $250,390 | 70 |
| 2 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $283,970 | $250,390 | 70 |
| 3 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $231,040 | $232,780 | 580 |
| 4 | Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services | $231,040 | $232,780 | 580 |
| 5 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $226,780 | $231,440 | 1,410 |
| 6 | Land Subdivision | $219,410 | $211,430 | 50 |
| 7 | Support Activities for Mining | $218,400 | $187,920 | 40 |
| 8 | Support Activities for Mining | $218,400 | $187,920 | 40 |
| 9 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | $218,150 | $211,830 | 290 |
| 10 | Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation | $218,060 | $210,470 | 140 |
| 11 | Sector 21 - Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $217,150 | $206,920 | 150 |
| 12 | Communications Equipment Manufacturing | $216,160 | $218,320 | 30 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do public relations managers make in the U.S.?
The median public relations managers salary in the United States is $146,910 per year (mean $164,760), and about 80% earn between $82,410 and $284,990.
How much do public relations managers make per hour?
Roughly $79 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $164,760 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays public relations managers the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for public relations managers at $217,060 per year (median $197,600).
What is the job outlook for public relations managers?
Employment is projected to change +5% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 6,600 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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