Public Relations salary
28 market ranges · employer-stated pay · updated Mar 10, 2026
These figures come from 344 public relations postings where the employer stated pay, covering 17 cities. The single best-evidenced figure is Indianapolis at entry level, where 34 postings put the middle half between $47,000 and $52,000, with a median of $49,000.
Pay rises with seniority. Typical figures run entry level around $54,000, mid level around $104,000, senior around $120,000 and lead around $143,000. Moving from entry level to lead is worth roughly 168% more.
Every range here is counted from real postings, never modelled. 12 of the 28 ranges rest on fewer than 10 postings, so treat those as a hint rather than a benchmark; the sample column tells you which.
Every measured range
28 by city and level| City | Level | Market range | Median | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | Entry | $54,000 – $60,000 | $54,000 | 13 |
| Austin | Mid | $62,000 – $151,000 | $151,000 | 5 |
| Boston | Entry | $53,000 – $62,000 | $60,000 | 15 |
| Boston | Lead | $114,000 – $143,000 | $131,000 | 6 |
| Chicago | Lead | $142,000 – $160,000 | $142,000 | 5 |
| Chicago | Mid | $72,000 – $95,000 | $84,000 | 8 |
| Cincinnati | Entry | $54,000 – $62,000 | $58,000 | 13 |
| Cincinnati | Mid | $64,000 – $81,000 | $68,000 | 5 |
| Dallas | Entry | $53,000 – $61,000 | $55,000 | 5 |
| Indianapolis | Entry | $47,000 – $52,000 | $49,000 | 34 |
| Los Angeles | Entry | $52,000 – $60,000 | $54,000 | 18 |
| Los Angeles | Mid | $78,000 – $130,000 | $130,000 | 6 |
| Louisville | Entry | $45,000 – $50,000 | $48,000 | 15 |
| Miami | Entry | $52,000 – $61,000 | $55,000 | 12 |
| New Orleans | Entry | $52,000 – $59,000 | $56,000 | 12 |
| New York | Entry | $56,000 – $94,000 | $68,000 | 14 |
| New York | Lead | $125,000 – $189,000 | $151,000 | 30 |
| New York | Mid | $92,000 – $132,000 | $101,000 | 28 |
| New York | Senior | $90,000 – $126,000 | $100,000 | 5 |
| Richmond | Entry | $36,000 – $50,000 | $42,000 | 24 |
| San Antonio | Entry | $52,000 – $58,000 | $54,000 | 10 |
| San Francisco | Entry | $45,000 – $88,000 | $48,000 | 5 |
| San Francisco | Senior | $140,000 – $183,000 | $140,000 | 5 |
| Seattle | Mid | $98,000 – $145,000 | $107,000 | 18 |
| Tampa | Entry | $53,000 – $66,000 | $60,000 | 12 |
| Washington | Entry | $60,000 – $108,000 | $62,000 | 5 |
| Washington | Lead | $122,000 – $150,000 | $130,000 | 11 |
| Washington | Mid | $95,000 – $118,000 | $95,000 | 5 |
Ranges span the 25th to 75th percentile of employer-stated base pay for the city and level. Median is the 50th percentile. Sample is the number of postings measured.