Public Relations Managers pay in California
$185,180avg. a year
$89.03 an hour · 9,400 employed
Public Relations Managers in California earn an average of $185,180 a year. That is $20,420 (12%) more than the U.S. average of $164,760. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $229,420.
$167,980Median pay
$89.03Average hourly
+30%Avg. pay since 2021
#5Of 47 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for public relations managers by metro area. Swipe to see all 15.
1980 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$229,420
$110.30 an hour
21,880 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$207,600
$99.81 an hour
33,610 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$178,520
$85.83 an hour
4460 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$173,160
$83.25 an hour
540 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$167,650
$80.60 an hour
6650 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$167,580
$80.57 an hour
780 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$159,570
$76.72 an hour
8300 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$156,350
$75.17 an hour
970 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$155,740
$74.87 an hour
1030 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$143,470
$68.98 an hour
1140 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$143,020
$68.76 an hour
1240 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$141,920
$68.23 an hour
1350 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$137,610
$66.16 an hour
1440 jobs
Salinas, CA
$137,200
$65.96 an hour
15110 jobs
Fresno, CA
$137,190
$65.96 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Public Relations Managers pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California public relations managers work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $127k$127k–$136k$136k–$163k$163k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $164,760 | $79.21 |
| California | $185,180 | $89.03 |
| Oregon | $138,720 | $66.69 |
| Nevada | $135,800 | $65.29 |
| Arizona | $131,310 | $63.13 |
Related jobs in California
- Sales Managers$160,260
- Marketing Managers$207,860
- Fundraising Managers$157,470
- Advertising and Promotions Managers$183,200
- General and Operations Managers$152,250
- Financial Managers$210,490
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do public relations managers make in California?
The average is $185,180 a year, and the median is $167,980. That is $20,420 (12%) more than the U.S. average of $164,760.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$89.03 an hour on average; the median is $80.76.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($229,420), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($207,600). The lowest average among 15 metro areas with data is Fresno, CA ($137,190).
How does California rank?
California ranks #5 of 48 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2021–May 2025), occupation code 11-2032. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national public relations managers page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.