RateOrchard
DATA PROFILE · 2024

Public Relations Managers salary in Illinois

Activemarket
+25%offers
+75.8%wages
heat65/100

Median, range, employment, and 10-year outlook from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, with skills and task data from O*NET. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities.

Adrian Serafin, founder and editor of RateOrchardBy Adrian SerafinFounderUpdated April 27, 2026
Median annual$122,950
Mean annual$132,740
Range (10th to 90th)$69,700 to $213,290
Illinois employment2,890
State vs national-13.2% vs national

Salary distribution

Where Illinois public relations managers fall on the wage curve.

Annual wage distribution

Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)

10TH$69,70025TH$87,080MEDIAN$122,95075TH$164,87090TH$213,290

The middle 50% of workers earn between $87,080 and $164,870, with a median of $122,950.

Real disclosed salaries

Public Relations Managers in Illinois: actual employer-disclosed pay

Public records from 9 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $110,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.

By DOL wage level

DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.

LevelFilingsMedian offer
Level I — entry2$88,805
Level II — qualified2$109,403
Level III — experienced4$177,013

Top employers filing for this role

Companies with the most certified filings for Public Relations Managers in Illinois. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.

EmployerMost-filed titleFilingsMedian
Amazon Data Services, IncBusiness Developer III4$177,013
Forum For Developing Communities, Inc.Associate Director of Strategy & Transnational Partnerships1$84,000
Rincon Family ServicesDirector of Public Relations1$85,000
viaPhoton Inc.Director of Communications1$92,610
Enora Global Fund (US), LPHead of Investor Engagement and Strategic Communications1$110,000
Doral Renewables, LLCPublic Relations Manager1$108,805

Recent sample filings

A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.

  • Associate Director of Strategy & Transnational Partnerships at Forum For Developing Communities, Inc.
    $84,000
    ChicagoDecided Dec 16, 2025I-200-25343-469936
  • Business Developer III at Amazon Data Services, Inc
    $177,013
    ChicagoWage Level IIIDecided Sep 3, 2025I-203-25238-267985
  • Director of Public Relations at Rincon Family Services
    $85,000
    ChicagoWage Level IDecided Jun 11, 2025I-200-25155-051374
  • Director of Communications at viaPhoton Inc.
    $92,610
    AuroraWage Level IDecided Jun 6, 2025I-200-25150-036793
  • Head of Investor Engagement and Strategic Communications at Enora Global Fund (US), LP
    $110,000
    ChicagoWage Level IIDecided May 6, 2025I-200-25119-918604
  • Public Relations Manager at Doral Renewables, LLC
    $108,805
    ChicagoWage Level IIDecided Apr 3, 2025I-200-25086-807563
  • Business Developer III at Amazon Data Services, Inc
    $177,013
    ChicagoWage Level IIIDecided Aug 15, 2025I-200-25220-230224
  • Business Developer III at Amazon Data Services, Inc
    $177,013
    ChicagoWage Level IIIDecided Aug 14, 2025I-200-25219-228540

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.

By seniority

Public Relations Managers pay by experience level in Illinois

Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.

Pay by industry

Public Relations Managers in Illinois, by industry

Median offered wage across 9 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Technology and software leads with a median of $177,013.

IndustryLargest employerFilingsMedian offer
Technology and softwareAmazon Data Services, Inc4$177,013
Nonprofit and civicForum For Developing Communities, Inc.1$84,000
HealthcareRincon Family Services1$85,000
ManufacturingviaPhoton Inc.1$92,610
Finance and insuranceEnora Global Fund (US), LP1$110,000
Energy and utilitiesDoral Renewables, LLC1$108,805

Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.

Wage trend

Median annual wage in Illinois over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.

Median annual wage, Illinois2023 to 2024
$127,0402023$122,9502024

Typical entry

  • Education

    Bachelor's degree

  • Experience

    5 years or more

  • On-the-job training

    None

Top skills (O*NET)

Skill data from O*NET is not yet ingested for this occupation. We refresh this section when O*NET publishes a new release.

Common tasks (O*NET)

Task data from O*NET is not yet ingested for this occupation.

10-year outlook

Growth 2024 → 2034

+4.9%

Projected annual openings

BLS outlook

Average growth

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 20242034 cycle.

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Top metros in Illinois

Metro-level salary data for public relations managers in major Illinois metropolitan areas.

Compare Public Relations Managers pay across nearby states

Frequently asked questions

What is the median salary for Public Relations Managers in Illinois?
According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Public Relations Managers in Illinois is $122,950.
How does Illinois compare to the national median for Public Relations Managers?
The Illinois median is -13.2% versus the BLS national figure of $141,703.
What is the salary range for Public Relations Managers in Illinois?
BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $69,700 and the 90th-percentile at $213,290, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
Is Public Relations Managers a growing field?
BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 4.9% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
What education is required for Public Relations Managers?
BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Disclaimer

Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.