Public affairs' longstanding status as a higher-level function in organizations, compared to PR, continues to be evidenced by its higher salary figures.
A study released this month by the Foundation for Public Affairs (FPA), Washington, D.C., a research wing of the Public Affairs Council, shows that salaries and other variable compensation for public affairs positions in major corporations remain healthy.
While base pay of public affairs professionals increased between 3 and 9 percent on average compared results reported in the Foundation's 1994-95 survey, total cash compensation--including bonuses and perquisites--average d 9 to 20 percent higher.
The FPC report covers six public affairs positions: the top public affairs position at the corporate level, the head of federal government relations, the head of state government relations, the state government relations representative, the head of community relations and the head of corporate contributions.
The report was prepared by Hay Management Consultants, Arlington, Va., a specialist in compensation consulting and planning, based on questionnaires received from 137 of the 1,100 major corporations contacted, most of which were Fortune 1000 companies.
$148K Median For Top Job
The median base salary (50 percent of reported salaries are higher, 50 percent are lower) of the top public affairs positions for reporting companies was $148,430. Ninety percent of respondents reported making at least $90,500. When short-term bonuses are added in, that figure rose to $112,000.
In public relations, compensation figures at that level are found only at the vice president and senior vice president levels of corporations and firms.
To be fair, it must be noted that--unlike public relations--there are relatively few entry-level or junior-level positions in public affairs. In most corporations, there are only senior staff positions.
Public affairs executives continue to receive a number of perquisites, with the most common being cash bonuses, received more than 60 percent of respondent executives, the FPA study shows. For the top position, as well as the head of federal government relations and the head of state government relations, more than 80 percent of companies responding to the survey reported receiving bonuses.
About half of all responding executives report eligibility for stock options. Country club memberships are relatively common only for the top public affairs position and the head of federal government relations, with 19 percent and 34 percent, respectively, receiving a club membership.
A company car was part of the package for 30 percent of reporting top public affairs officers, but generally less than 10 percent of other public affairs positions reported receiving this perk.
(Foundation for Public Affairs, 202/872-1750; Hay Management Consultants, 703/841-0079)
Editor's note: Copies of the 40-page report, "1996-1997 Compensation Survey of Public Affairs Positions" are available for $250.00 from the Foundation for Public Affairs, 1019 19th St. N.W., Suite 200, Washington, D.C. 20036, 202/872-1750.
Median Salaries and Total Short-term Compensation of Corporate Public Affairs Officers
| Position | Base Pay (Median) |
Base Pay + Short-term Bonus (Median) |
| Top Position | $148,430 | $197,803 |
| Top FederalGov't Rels Position | $120,000 | $148,080 |
| Top Community Rels Position | $86,700 | $120,870 |
| Top Corporate Contributions Position | $84,450 | $105,700 |
| Top State Gov't Rels Position | $98,472 | $121,500 |
| State Gov't Rels Representative | $84,475 | $100,000 |