Public Relations Associate Salary in the United States

How much does a Public Relations Associate make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for a Public Relations Associate in the United States is $75,488 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $36.

However, a Public Relations Associate's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $90,564
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $69,303 to $83,379
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $63,673
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View as table View as graph 25% $69,303 10% $63,673 90% $90,564 75% $83,379 $75,488 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Public Relations Associate Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $83,379 $6,948 $1,603 $40
Average $75,488 $6,291 $1,452 $36
25th Percentile $69,303 $5,775 $1,333 $33
Check out Public Relations Associate Job Openings in the United States
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Cincinnati State - Cincinnati, OH

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Belle Communication - Columbus, OH

Accounting Advisory Senior Associate

Cherry Bekaert Advisory, LLC - Cincinnati, OH

Client Relations Associate

Elite Vision Solutions - Cleveland, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Public Relations Associate Salaries

A Public Relations Associate's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Public Relations Associate Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Public Relations Associate's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $61,056
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $75,439
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $94,743
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $118,194
  • Expert (over 8 years): $133,235
Levels Salary
Public Re... Level Public Relations Associate$61,056
Public Re... Level Public Relations Associate$75,439
Public Re... Level Public Relations Associate$94,743
Public Re... Level Public Relations Associate$118,194
Public Re... Level Public Relations Associate$133,235
$61,056 0 yr
$75,439 < 2 yrs
$94,743 2-4 yrs
$118,194 5-8 yrs
$133,235 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Public Relations Associates

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $95,213
  • San Francisco: $94,277
  • Oakland: $92,186

What Skills Can Increase a Public Relations Associate's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 6.94% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.91% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • Marketing Research (Mentioned in 1.35% Job Postings): Marketing research is "the process or set of processes that links the producers, customers, and end users to the marketer through information used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions; monitor marketing performance; and improve understanding of marketing as a process. Marketing research specifies the information required to address these issues, designs the method for collecting information, manages and implements the data collection process, analyzes the results, and communicates the findings and their implications." It is the systematic gathering, recording, and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data about issues relating to marketing products and services. The goal of marketing research is to identify and assess how changing elements of the marketing mix impacts customer behavior. The term is commonly interchanged with market research; however, expert practitioners may wish to draw a distinction, in that market research is concerned specifically with markets, while marketing research is concerned specifically about marketing processes.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 6.94%
Microsoft Office 1.91%
Marketing Research 1.35%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Public Relations Associate's salary.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Collaboration
$80,772
7%
Insight
$80,017
6%
Project Management
$80,017
6%
Marketing Communications
$79,262
5%
PowerPoint
$79,262
5%
Attention to Detail
$79,262
5%
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How Education impacts a Public Relations Associate's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Public Relations Associates enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Public Relations Associate with a Bachelor's Degree is between $73,381 and $78,099).

Public Relations Associate Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Public Relations Associate
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.0%
High School 1.0%
Associates 1.0%
Bachelors 73.6%
Masters 23.3%
Doctorate 1.2%
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Public Relations Associate Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Public Relations Associate's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 18, 2021

Salary Trends for Public Relations Associate

Salaries for a Public Relations Associate can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $73,989 in 2023 to around $73,849 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Public Relations Associate salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Public Relations Associate Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$73,989
2024
$74,192
2025
$73,849
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $73,989
2024 $74,192
2025 $73,849
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Public Relations Associate

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Public Relations Associate

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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