With a national median of $146,910 and +5.0% projected job growth through 2034, Public Relations Managers offers both strong financial return and stable long-term demand.
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or client.
Also known as:
Public Relations Managers earn $146,910 nationally, well above the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $106,580 and $204,520. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.
Well above average for college graduates.
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
The mean wage for this occupation is $164,760, above the median. A concentration of very high earners pulls the average up. The median is the better gauge of typical pay.
The BLS projects +5.0% employment change for Public Relations Managers through 2034, roughly in line with the national average of +5%. About 6,600 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.
About as fast as average.
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.
The five states below employ the most Public Relations Managers professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $146,910 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 9,140 | $156,340 | +6.4% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 8,640 | $185,810 | +26.5% |
| 3 | Texas | 8,360 | $120,210 | -18.2% |
| 4 | New York | 7,330 | $173,780 | +18.3% |
| 5 | Florida | 3,120 | $112,710 | -23.3% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
Most Public Relations Managers positions require a bachelor's degree to qualify. The 3 programs below are the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Communication & Media | 56,620 | $56,359 | 1,406 |
| 2 | Public Relations | 20,666 | $63,560 | 608 |
| 3 | Business Operations Support | 837 | $65,784 | 80 |
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | 93 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| 2 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 3 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | 93 | $12,470 | $84,943 |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 93 | $13,481 | $92,446 |
| 5 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 6 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | 92 | $13,807 | $124,080 |
Once you've sized up Public Relations Managers, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
See if the degree that leads to Public Relations Managers pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Strong earnings and growing demand make Public Relations Managers a compelling path. The 3 strengths and 1 trade-offs below are drawn from BLS wage data and employment projections.
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
Only 95 of 385 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
Scout uses AI and can make mistakes. Verify important numbers on the page.
