Despite deep job cuts throughout industry in the last few years
(not to mention the jobless economic recovery) PR salaries at both
the corporate and agency levels held up in 2003, according to the
results of the 8th annual public relations and corporate
communications compensation study released last week by Spring
Associates. "The Official PR Salary & Bonus Report - 2004
Edition" is compiled from the firm's proprietary database
containing job information on nearly 11,000 PR agency and
communications pros nationwide. Salaries on the corporate side are
comprised of communications specialist; manager; director, VP and
Senior VP while the salary figures for PR agency execs include
account executive, senior account executive, account supervisor,
VP, senior VP and EVP. Listed are base salaries for both corporate
and agency execs:
*Corporate Base Salaries:
- Business/Financial - $106K / +5.6%
- Consumer - $102K / +5.8%
- Hi Tech - $108K / +5.5%
- B2B - $107K / +4.6%
- Internal Comms - $96K / +5.2%
- Investor Relations - $106K / +4.7%
- Health/Med/Pharm - $114K / +5.7%
- Public/Gov't Affairs - $110K / +4.3%
*PR Agency Base Salaries:
- Business/Financial - $84K / +4.6%
- Consumer - $81K / +4.2%
- Hi Tech - $84K / +4.9%
- B2B - $82K / +3.3%
- Investor Relations - $86K / +4.8%
- Health/Med/Pharm - $89K / +6.0%
- Public/Gov't Affairs - $85K / +4.9%
Some other salary nuggets:
- Corporate-based bonuses rose 37% in '03 compared with '02
- Average hourly rate for PR agencies was $213, a 16% increase
compared with '02 - Media managers averaged $168 per hour, a 29% increase compared
with '02
*($ = national average / % = percent comparison to 2002)
Source: Spring Associates Inc.