Public Relations Managers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for public relations managers is $146,910, or $70.63 per hour. About 74,850 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $197,600 in District of Columbia to $82,380 in West Virginia.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 48 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $197,600 | $95.00 | 7,410 | 21.92 |
| 2 | New York | $180,880 | $86.96 | 7,710 | 1.65 |
| 3 | Virginia | $176,340 | $84.78 | 2,610 | 1.32 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $174,980 | $84.13 | 2,420 | 1.17 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $171,740 | $82.57 | 2,170 | 1.24 |
| 6 | California | $167,980 | $80.76 | 9,400 | 1.07 |
| 7 | Maine | $166,940 | $80.26 | — | — |
| 8 | Colorado | $162,870 | $78.30 | — | — |
| 9 | Washington | $159,440 | $76.65 | 1,610 | 0.94 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $156,080 | $75.04 | 210 | 0.85 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $154,210 | $74.14 | 890 | 1.08 |
| 12 | Delaware | $153,010 | $73.56 | 170 | 0.73 |
| 13 | Maryland | $149,380 | $71.82 | 1,530 | 1.15 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $139,040 | $66.85 | 1,230 | 0.87 |
| 15 | Georgia | $134,500 | $64.67 | 1,540 | 0.65 |
| 16 | Utah | $132,670 | $63.79 | 580 | 0.70 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $132,660 | $63.78 | 330 | 0.99 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $132,280 | $63.60 | 1,510 | 0.63 |
| 19 | Illinois | $131,990 | $63.46 | 2,770 | 0.94 |
| 20 | Oregon | $131,190 | $63.07 | 1,410 | 1.49 |
| 21 | Kansas | $129,760 | $62.39 | 300 | 0.43 |
| 22 | Florida | $127,550 | $61.32 | 2,990 | 0.63 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $127,390 | $61.24 | 700 | 0.44 |
| 24 | Texas | $126,670 | $60.90 | 8,190 | 1.21 |
| 25 | Alaska | $120,920 | $58.13 | 380 | 2.39 |
| 26 | Iowa | $120,730 | $58.04 | 630 | 0.84 |
| 27 | Ohio | $118,670 | $57.06 | 1,400 | 0.53 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $118,050 | $56.75 | 2,210 | 0.76 |
| 29 | Michigan | $117,900 | $56.69 | 1,720 | 0.81 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $115,260 | $55.41 | 250 | 0.58 |
| 31 | Indiana | $114,960 | $55.27 | 600 | 0.39 |
| 32 | Missouri | $114,710 | $55.15 | 760 | 0.54 |
| 33 | Arizona | $114,400 | $55.00 | 1,170 | 0.75 |
| 34 | Nevada | $114,130 | $54.87 | 450 | 0.60 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $114,110 | $54.86 | 130 | 0.61 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $113,980 | $54.80 | 1,010 | 0.71 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $112,320 | $54.00 | 510 | 0.53 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $105,010 | $50.49 | 390 | 1.29 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $104,920 | $50.44 | 650 | 0.58 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $104,440 | $50.21 | 330 | 0.68 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $104,170 | $50.08 | 340 | 0.54 |
| 42 | Montana | $99,990 | $48.07 | 180 | 0.72 |
| 43 | Alabama | $98,210 | $47.22 | 540 | 0.53 |
| 44 | Idaho | $98,160 | $47.19 | — | — |
| 45 | Mississippi | $97,160 | $46.71 | 170 | 0.31 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $96,030 | $46.17 | 490 | 0.59 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $94,380 | $45.38 | 320 | 0.34 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $82,380 | $39.61 | 70 | 0.20 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do public relations managers make?
The median annual wage for public relations managers in the United States is $146,910, or $70.63 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $82,410, and the top 10% earn $284,990.
How many public relations managers are employed in the U.S.?
About 74,850 people work as public relations managers nationwide.
Which state pays public relations managers the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $197,600, followed by New York ($180,880) and Virginia ($176,340).
Which state pays public relations managers the least?
West Virginia has the lowest median at $82,380.
Where are public relations managers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 21.92×.