Public relations managers

SOC Code: 11-2032
Also known as:
Business Development Director, Campaign Manager, Communications Director, Communications Manager, Community Director
Median Annual Salary
$138,520
+5.0% growth (2024-2034)
7K
Openings/Year
83K
Current Jobs

What Public relations managers Do

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or client.

💰 Salary

$138,520
Median annual wage (2024)

📈 Job Growth

+5.0%
Faster than average

🎓 Education

Bachelor's degree
Typical entry-level requirement

🚀 Annual Openings

7K
Projected average per year

👔 Work Experience

5 years or more
Required before entry

Employment Projections (2024-2034)

Current Employment (2024)

83,200

Projected Employment (2034)

87,300

Related Careers

Advertising and promotions managers

$126,960 • -2.2% growth

Marketing managers

$161,030 • +6.6% growth

Management analysts

$101,190 • +8.8% growth

Public relations specialists

$69,780 • +4.8% growth

Technology & Tools

Adobe Acrobat Adobe After Effects Adobe Creative Cloud software Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop Canva Facebook Google Analytics Google Docs

📚 Entry-Level Education

Bachelor's degree
Most common requirement

Degree Programs for Public relations managers

These degree programs can prepare you for a career as a public relations managers:

Speech Communication and Rhetoric

32,944 degrees awarded • 744 colleges offer this program

Communication, General

11,299 degrees awarded • 366 colleges offer this program

Mass Communication/Media Studies

8,694 degrees awarded • 314 colleges offer this program

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

4,077 degrees awarded • 162 colleges offer this program

Public Relations/Image Management

4,061 degrees awarded • 152 colleges offer this program

Communication Management and Strategic Communications

1,956 degrees awarded • 55 colleges offer this program

Business/Corporate Communications, General

801 degrees awarded • 57 colleges offer this program

Political Communication

211 degrees awarded • 8 colleges offer this program

International and Intercultural Communication

183 degrees awarded • 24 colleges offer this program

Business/Corporate Communications, Other

12 degrees awarded • 1 colleges offer this program

Best Colleges for Becoming a Public relations managers

Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees in related programs. These are the top-rated colleges that prepare students to become public relations managers.

# College Location Related Degrees Repit Grade
1 University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 270 A+
2 University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 649 A
3 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 561 A
4 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 553 A
5 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 515 A
6 University of Georgia Athens, GA 367 A
7 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 328 A
8 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD 262 A
9 University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA 258 A
10 University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA 252 A
11 Boston University Boston, MA 241 A
12 Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, TX 648 B+
13 Fashion Institute of Technology New York, NY 570 B+
14 Florida International University Miami, FL 544 B+
15 Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH 467 B+
16 University of South Florida Tampa, FL 464 B+
17 California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA 416 B+
18 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL 372 B+
19 San Diego State University San Diego, CA 337 B+
20 University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA 331 B+

Want this ranking as a spreadsheet? Investor Pro+ members can export any Repit table to CSV. See plans →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do public relations managers make?
The median annual salary for public relations managers is $138,520.
What education do public relations managers need?
Most public relations managers positions require a bachelor's degree. Common degree programs include Speech Communication and Rhetoric, Communication, General, Mass Communication/Media Studies.
Is becoming public relations managers a good career choice?
Public relations managers is projected to see +5.0% job growth from 2024 to 2034, which is faster than average for all occupations. With approximately 6,600 job openings expected annually, there are good opportunities for those entering the field.
What are the best colleges for public relations managers?
Top colleges for aspiring public relations managers include University of California-Los Angeles, University of California-Santa Barbara, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Florida, University of Southern California. These schools are ranked based on their Repit grade and the number of graduates in related programs.
What other job titles are similar to public relations managers?
Public relations managers may also be known as: Business Development Director, Campaign Manager, Communications Director, Communications Manager, Community Director, Community Engagement Manager, Community Manager, Community Relations Director, Customer Service Manager, Development Director, Information Director, Marketing and Communications Manager, Marketing Communications Manager, Public Affairs Director, Public Information Director, Public Information Relations Manager, Public Relations Director (PR Director), Public Relations Manager (PR Manager), Public Relations Supervisor (PR Supervisor), Publicity Director. These titles often refer to similar roles with varying responsibilities or specializations.