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Boston Career Explorer

Management

Public Relations Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or client.

Also called: Communications Director, Communications Manager, Community Relations Director, PR Director (Public Relations Director), Public Affairs Director

Median pay in Greater Boston
$176,390
$84.80/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
1,810
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+3.2%
200 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Bachelor's degree
5 years or more of related work experience

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$98,170$122,870$176,390$218,830$320,050

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, government officials, and media representatives and use these relationships to develop new business opportunities.
  • Assign, supervise, and review the activities of public relations staff.
  • Identify main client groups and audiences, determine the best way to communicate publicity information to them, and develop and implement a communication plan.
  • Develop, implement, or maintain crisis communication plans.
  • Write interesting and effective press releases, prepare information for media kits, and develop and maintain company internet or intranet web pages.
  • Manage communications budgets.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure89 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 86
  • Language-model AIOE 91
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 90

Observed AI use today: Substantial (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for public relations managers is higher, and observed AI use is already substantial. Tools can help draft press releases, build media kit materials, and shape communication plans. Building trust with clients, officials, and reporters, leading staff, and handling a crisis still rely on human judgment.

Likely to change

  • Drafting press releases and media kits
  • Planning how to reach audiences

Still relies on people

  • Building trust with media and officials
  • Leading staff and guiding crisis response

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

40 programs near Boston (plus 10 graduate)

Related occupations

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