Public Relations Managers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $77,680 a year or less, while the top 10% make $221,440 or more. The middle half of public relations managers in Chicago earn between $100,210 and $170,470.
- $78K10th
- $100K25th
- $133KMedian
- $170K75th
- $221K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $145,570 | $12,131 | $69.99 |
| Median | $133,210 | $11,101 | $64.04 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $100,210 | $8,351 | $48.18 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $170,470 | $14,206 | $81.96 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Public Relations Managers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $145,570, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $103,698 a year, or $8,642 a month and $3,988 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $106,426 | $8,869 |
| Working in IL | $103,698 | $8,642 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for public relations managers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $145,570 buys what about $140,518 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 2.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Public Relations Managers salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 5 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$145,570
- Bloomington$142,880
- Peoria$124,600
- Springfield$122,990
- Champaign$106,480
Highest-paying cities for public relations managers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($229,420).
- San Jose, CA$229,420
- Washington, DC$214,670
- New York, NY$208,800
- San Francisco, CA$207,600
- Boston, MA$187,740
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Public Relations Managers salary in Chicago: questions
How much do public relations managers make an hour in Chicago?
$69.99 an hour on average, and $64.04 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level public relations managers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $77,680 a year and the 25th percentile is $100,210, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the public relations managers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $103,698 a year ($8,642 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $145,570.
Do public relations managers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($168,539).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 11-2032; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.9%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.01, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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