Public Relations Agencies Revenue Benchmarks
The average public relations agencies business in the United States generates $1.6M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 8,086 public relations agencies businesses in the U.S., employing 54,730 workers with an average profit margin of 22.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $135K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Public Relations Agencies Business Actually Do?
PR firms handling media relations, crisis communications, product launches, and reputation management.
Who buys: Corporations, celebrities/athletes, brands launching products, crisis-affected organizations.
Average Revenue
$1.6M
per year
Profit Margin
22.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$241K
per year
Total Businesses
8,086
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$358K
small business avg
Labor Cost
50.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$135K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
2.4
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Public Relations Agencies Charge?
PR agencies charge monthly retainers for ongoing media relations and campaigns.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Small business retainer | $3,000–10,000/month |
Mid-market retainer | $10,000–50,000/month |
Product launch project | $25,000–500,000 |
Crisis PR (hourly) | $300–1,000/hour |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete public relations agencies business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a public relations agencies business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the public relations agencies industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Client-related expenses | $4 | $68K | Software licenses, subscriptions, printing, filing fees, travel billed to clients. |
Wages & benefits | $50 | $814K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $91K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $68K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $14 | $228K | Professional liability insurance, continuing education, tech, admin support. |
Net profit | $22 | $358K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
11.48%
openings/year
Closure Rate
11.25%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-1.27%
annual
Businesses Closed
3,038
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Public Relations Agencies Business?
Startup Cost
$10K – $75K
Break-Even
1 months
5-Year Survival Rate
60.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a public relations agencies business do?
- PR firms handling media relations, crisis communications, product launches, and reputation management. Corporations, celebrities/athletes, brands launching products, crisis-affected organizations.
- How much do public relations agencies charge?
- PR agencies charge monthly retainers for ongoing media relations and campaigns. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average public relations agencies make per year?
- The average public relations agencies business generates $1.6M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $358K per year at a 22.0% profit margin.
- How many public relations agencies businesses are there in the US?
- There are 8,086 public relations agencies businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 54,730 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a public relations agencies business?
- Startup costs for a public relations agencies business typically range from $10K to $75K, with a 5-year survival rate of 60.0%.
- What is the average salary in the public relations agencies industry?
- The average employee in the public relations agencies industry earns $135K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The public relations agencies industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of -1.3%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 11.5% and 11.2% respectively.
Approximately 55% of public relations agencies businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 3,038 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the public relations agencies industry earns $135,066/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 14,922 establishments employing 65,871 people, the typical business has about 4 employees. Most businesses in this industry are small operations — often owner-operated with minimal staff.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The public relations agencies industry has declined 9% since 2000 (from 32,009 to 29,104 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Public Relations Agencies revenue with other industries: