# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/public-relations-managers
- SOC code: 11-2032.00
- Career family: Management
- Median annual pay: $146,910 (10th percentile $82,410, 90th percentile $284,990)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +5.7%
- Openings a year: 6,100
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ECS)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 0 |
| Investigative (I) | 22 |
| Artistic (A) | 45 |
| Social (S) | 53 |
| Enterprising (E) | 100 |
| Conventional (C) | 56 |

## What you'd do

- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 96/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 95/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 95/100)
- Getting Information (importance 93/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 89/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 88/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 88/100)
- Developing Objectives and Strategies (importance 83/100)
- Developing and Building Teams (importance 81/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 81/100)

## Skills

Speaking, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Social Perceptiveness, Writing, Complex Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Persuasion, Coordination, Active Learning

## Knowledge

Communications and Media, English Language, Administration and Management, Sales and Marketing, Customer and Personal Service, Administrative, Law and Government, Sociology and Anthropology, Psychology, Personnel and Human Resources

## Also called

BD Director (Business Development Director), Campaign Manager, Communications Director, Communications Manager, Community Engagement Specialist, Community Manager, Community Outreach Coordinator, Community Relations Director, Outreach Coordinator, PR Director (Public Relations Director)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Communication and Media Studies](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0901) (CIP 0901, 1,386 colleges)
- [Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0909) (CIP 0909, 621 colleges)
- [Business/Corporate Communications](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5205) (CIP 5205, 74 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Communication and Media Studies | $65,287 | $114,266 | not reported |
| [Northwestern University-Illinois](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northwestern-university-illinois-1966) | Communication and Media Studies | $64,034 | $93,541 | $19,500 |
| [Syracuse University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/syracuse-university-2667) | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $63,858 | $90,535 | $24,250 |
| [Southern Methodist University SMU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/southern-methodist-university-smu-2498) | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $56,398 | $89,330 | $17,375 |
| [Cornell University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cornell-university-new-york-710) | Communication and Media Studies | $63,499 | $88,463 | $10,000 |
| [University of Southern California USC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-southern-california-usc-3050) | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $63,165 | $87,946 | $12,125 |
| [George Washington University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/george-washington-university-1066) | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $63,370 | $85,459 | $19,500 |
| [Santa Clara University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/santa-clara-university-2371) | Communication and Media Studies | $62,295 | $84,206 | $19,000 |

## Related careers

- [Public Relations Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/public-relations-specialists): $74,750 median pay
- [Advertising and Promotions Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/advertising-and-promotions-managers): $133,660 median pay
- [Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/market-research-analysts-and-marketing-specialists): $78,760 median pay
- [Management Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/management-analysts): $101,860 median pay
- [Marketing Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/marketing-managers): $166,790 median pay
- [Fundraising Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/fundraising-managers): $125,470 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.