Home Public Relations Officer Salary
Public Relations Officer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a public relations officer is $106,400 per annum, before tax, up $22,400 since 2018.
- Where you work matters as much as what you do: government departments and large corporates generally pay more than non-profits, while agency roles can move faster in title but demand longer hours.
- Seniority carries more weight than years served, since a media adviser and a communications manager can sit on quite different bands.
- Public sector roles follow enterprise agreements that set increments by classification, and on-call or crisis duties sometimes attract loadings.
The median salary rose by $22,400 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than public relations officer
The largest typical pay rise is $46,700 a year, moving into Policy and Planning Manager.
- Policy and Planning Manager+$46,700/yr
- Communications Manager+$32,800/yr
- Marketing Manager+$32,800/yr
How to negotiate a higher public relations officer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time public relations officer salary is $106,400; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Strategy development and Content creation and writing tend to command a premium over general public relations officer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Policy and Planning Manager pays a typical $46,700 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Public Relations Officer salary questions
How much do public relations officers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a public relations officer is $106,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is public relations officer pay rising or falling?
The median public relations officer salary is up $22,400 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than public relations officer?
Policy and Planning Manager pays a typical $46,700 a year more and draws on similar skills to public relations officer.
Related salaries
- Communications Manager salary
- Digital Marketing Specialist salary
- Marketing Manager salary
- Liaison Officer salary
- Policy and Planning Manager salary
- Journalist salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.