Public relations professionals: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time public relations professionals in the UK earned a median £37,563 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): £1,476 below the all-jobs median of £39,039.
What the figures show
That puts it 163rd of 382, in the middle third of occupations.
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £30,887 and £47,627.
Median full-time pay: women £36,727 a year, men £39,110 a year.
ASHE counts roughly 46,000 employee jobs, 83% full-time.
Since 2021 it has risen 20.4%, from £31,199, slower than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 81,300 people in this line of work, 36% of them in London.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £27,732 | £521.90 | £14.17 | – | £294.30* | £13.24 |
| 20th percentile | £30,228 | £590.70 | £16.19 | £27,075* | £499.00 | £14.85 |
| 25th percentile | £30,887 | £618.20 | £17.18 | £28,606 | £538.40 | £16.15 |
| 30th percentile | £33,012 | £650.60 | £18.02 | £30,207 | £579.30 | £17.02 |
| 40th percentile | £35,773 | £707.90 | £19.87 | £33,282 | £644.80 | £18.72 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £37,563 | £750.40 | £20.59 | £36,336 | £709.10 | £20.25 |
| 60th percentile | £41,559 | £802.40 | £22.10 | £38,817 | £773.60 | £21.56 |
| 70th percentile | £44,695 | £881.40 | £24.30 | £43,853 | £834.70 | £23.59 |
| 75th percentile | £47,627* | £922.60 | £25.29 | £45,862* | £882.80 | £25.06 |
| 80th percentile | £50,786* | £981.90* | £26.50* | £49,763* | £964.50* | £26.26 |
| Mean | £41,422 | £812.90 | £22.04 | £37,761 | £729.60 | £21.82 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £31,199 | £599.20 | £16.44 | £30,047 | £575.60 | 35 |
| 2022 revised | – | £670.80 | £18.04 | – | £621.30 | 42 |
| 2023 revised | £36,676 | £683.20 | £18.73 | £33,891 | £655.40 | 43 |
| 2024 revised | £36,952 | £702.80 | £19.19 | £34,400 | £651.60 | 48 |
| 2025 provisional | £37,563 | £750.40 | £20.59 | £36,336 | £709.10 | 46 |
Public relations professionals by region
UK: 81,300 (± 11,100), April 2025 to March 2026. 10 of the 12 regions and nations have samples too small to publish.
| Region or nation | People in employment | 95% confidence interval |
|---|---|---|
| London | 28,900* | ± 8,700 |
| South East | 11,800* | ± 4,300 |
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What public relations professionals do
Public relations professionals plan, organise and co-ordinate the activities that promote the image and understanding of an organisation and its products or services to consumers, businesses, members of the public and other specified audiences. (ONS SOC 2020, 2493)
Also covers: account manager (public relations), communications manager (public relations), public relations consultant, press officer, public relations officer, social media manager, communications aide, liaison officer, media coordinator, media officer, pr adviser, pr assistant, pr consultant, PR manager, PR officer, press agent, press interviewer and press secretary (58 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Discusses issues of business strategy, products, services and target client base with senior colleagues to identify public relations requirements
- Writes, edits and arranges for the effective distribution of press releases, newsletters, social media and other public relations material
- Addresses individuals, clients and other target groups through meetings, presentations, the media and other events to enhance the public image of an organisation
- Develops and implements tools to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of public relations exercises
Most entrants possess A levels/H grades and a degree or equivalent qualification. Further professional qualifications are available.
Related
Media professionals (median £43,315) · Newspaper and periodical broadcast journalists and reporters · Advertising accounts managers and creative directors · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026