Public Relations Agencies — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the public relations agencies industry earns $135,066 per year ($64.94/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Public Relations Agencies Workers Earn?
At $135,066/year (equivalent to $64.94/hour for a full-time worker), public relations agencies wages are significantly above the national average of ~$65,000.
Higher wages in this industry typically reflect specialized skills, professional certifications, or technical expertise required for the work. Employers competing for talent in this space face elevated labor costs.
The typical public relations agencies business employs 4 people. Most operations are small — often owner-operated with a handful of staff. Labor costs are manageable relative to revenue.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average public relations agencies business generating $1.6M/year with 4 employees at $135,066 each, total payroll represents roughly 33.2% of revenue. Labor is a significant cost but leaves room for other expenses and profit.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a public relations agenciesbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $175,586/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 4 employees = ~$540,264/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $64.94/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $1.6M/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Public Relations Agencies revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do public relations agencies employees make?
- The average public relations agencies employee earns $135,066 per year, which is equivalent to $64.94/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is above the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the public relations agencies industry?
- The public relations agencies industry employs 65,871 workers across 14,922 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 4 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).