How much top public relations firms pay employees in the US

July 27, 2021

How much top public relations firms pay employees in the US

Gail Heimann Getty — John Phillips/Getty Images

Public relations firms are hiring as the economy rebounds.
Insider analyzed public data to get a sense of how much the industry is paying.
Salaries can vary widely by firm - a Teneo VP can earn $205,000 while the same role at MSL can pay $165,000.
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Public relations firms of all sizes are hiring as the economy rebounds - giving workers unprecedented leverage, according to agency execs and recruiters.

However, PR pros have little means to compare their salary, benefits, and overall compensation with each other. So Insider analyzed base salaries at some of the most prominent agencies in the world through publicly available data.

When hiring from abroad, PR firms have to file paperwork with the US Department of Labor's Office of Foreign Labor Certification, which releases that salary information every quarter.

Using that information, Insider created a snapshot of how firms compensate their employees, and found salaries can vary widely between firms. For example, a Teneo VP can earn $205,000 - much higher than the same role at MSL, which pays a base salary of $165,000.

This information is derived from base salary information only. Many firms offer bonuses and equity options to compensate employees.

Our full analysis details the base salaries for roles ranging from associates to SVPs and managing directors.