Public Relations Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or client.
Also called: BD Director (Business Development Director), Campaign Manager, Communications Director, Communications Manager, Community Engagement Specialist, Community Manager
Median pay
$146,910
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$82,410 – $284,990
People employed
74,850
Holland code
ECS
Enterprising · Conventional · Social
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 2.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
- 3.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 4.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 5.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 6.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Public Relations Managers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (47 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What public relations managers do
- 01Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, government officials, and media representatives and use these relationships to develop new business opportunities.
- 02Assign, supervise, and review the activities of public relations staff.
- 03Identify main client groups and audiences, determine the best way to communicate publicity information to them, and develop and implement a communication plan.
- 04Develop, implement, or maintain crisis communication plans.
- 05Write interesting and effective press releases, prepare information for media kits, and develop and maintain company internet or intranet web pages.
- 06Manage communications budgets.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Communications and Media
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Sales and Marketing
- Customer and Personal Service
Work styles that stand out
- Achievement Orientation
- Social Orientation
- Self-Control
- Stress Tolerance
- Innovation
Education and first steps
O*NET has no education survey data for this job.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
- A certification can help.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from public relations managers
- Human Resources Managers87% · +2%
- Financial Managers79% · +13%
- Compensation and Benefits Managers79% · +2%
- Training and Development Managers78% · −9%
- Chief Executives78% · +46%
Change into public relations managers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Public Relations Specialists96% · $74,750
- Fundraisers93% · $72,550
- Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes90% · $82,890
- Media Programming Directors90% · $90,360
- Labor Relations Specialists85% · $95,420
Majors that lead here
- Communication, General
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric
- Mass Communication/Media Studies
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
- Public Relations/Image Management
- Political Communication
- International and Intercultural Communication
- Communication Management and Strategic Communications
- Business/Corporate Communications, General
- Business/Corporate Communications, Other
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.