Highest Paying PR Jobs in India in 2024 [Average to Highest]

Jobs in the field of Public Relations can be pretty lucrative. Even small businesses are now investing in new and innovative ways to reach their customers to keep up with the competitive industry. This is where the need for PR specialists arises. As professionals with an integral role in creating brand awareness, they help organisations connect better with clients.

The demand for public relations specialists has witnessed a steep rise in the last two decades. As per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment growth of 7% is expected by 2029, with an estimated 19,700 new job opportunities to be created in the sector. The need for organisations to maintain their public image will continue to drive employment growth.

With PR specialists earning $61,150 per year or $29.40 per hour on average, it is one of the more lucrative professions to pursue today. As organisations continue to invest in their public image, PR skills will command even higher salaries and drive employment growth. 

In this article, we will discuss some of the highest paying PR jobs in India. 

Advantages of PR jobs

 Apart from being white collar and high profile, the highest paying PR jobs also have a wide range of advantages that make these jobs highly coveted. These include:

1. Perennial Demand

As long as businesses are thriving, there will be a demand for PR professionals. While big business houses prefer people with experience, small and upcoming businesses would be happy to work with freshers too. It means everyone in the industry has an opportunity to make a mark for themselves. Due to the high demand, several independent PR agencies work on a project basis with multiple clients. 

2. Opportunities in Multiple Domains and Industries

The highest paying PR jobs are not related to any single field or industry. There are opportunities in all areas. Fashion, textile, IT, medical, banking, insurance, and the list goes on. Not many professions offer the kind of exposure PR does. There are plenty of interests to choose from to create a niche for yourself and face new challenges with every project you work on.

3. Inspires Creativity and Innovation

There are no set standards or work profiles for a PR professional. The best and the highest paying PR jobs in India are always looking out for creative people who can think out of the box and put technology to the best use. You get to decide how you want your marketing campaign to be, what needs to be disclosed to the outside world, etc. What is more, you get to work with top officials and go places too. 

4. Faster Career Growth

If you have the calibre and zeal to work hard, you can make it big in a short time. Unlike other professions, the number of designations or positions in the PR hierarchy is limited. It means you get to grow and progress in your career at a much faster pace as compared to other sectors. 

5. Stepping Stone to Entrepreneurship

As a PR professional, you will have a better understanding of company policies, marketing plans, and a business’s underlying principles. Your work takes you places, and you get to mingle with all the important people as well. These insights and contacts can be beneficial if you plan to start something of your own, maybe even start your consulting/PR agency at a later stage. 

Highest Paying PR jobs in India

After completing your graduation or post-graduation in Public Relations, several fruitful and highly rewarding career options will be available to you. These include:

1. Public Relations and Fundraising Manager (Average Base Salary: ₹ 6,80,000/year)

As a public relations manager, you will be required to promote the organisation’s brand or image. It is possible through paid media campaigns, press releases, promotional content, and more. A PR professional will also have additional tasks to present the company details to prospective clients or stakeholders and get the go-ahead for funding. It also involves connecting with prospective investors or tapping a new audience base to meet fundraising goals. 

2. Advertising and Marketing Manager (Average Base Salary: ₹ 4,88,730 /year)

Advertising and marketing managers are people who specialise in the area of promotional content. They decide on the number of ads and media campaigns a company will run and the nature of these ads. They are responsible for making marketing decisions, taking ownership of creating an image for the company or brand, and improving profit margins. 

3. PR Executives (Average Base Salary: ₹ 2,70,421 /year)

PR executives can take up a variety of roles in different industries. They are the people who help and support leaders and top officials at a company. Their role is similar to that of a personal assistant. They arrange and lead the meetings, discussions, and campaigns for leaders. They are responsible for internal and external communication, discussing contracts, implementing budgets, and other financial records. 

4. Sales and Marketing Representatives (Average Base Salary: ₹ 2,41,458 /year)

PR positions in sales and marketing mainly involve discussions around a particular product. They may be required to interact with the clients directly, explaining the benefits or USP of the products. They are also expected to answer all the queries or concerns the clients may have regarding the product. Negotiating the prices, giving product demos, preparing sales reports, and increasing sales are a few responsibilities included in this work profile. 

5. Public Relation Specialist (Average Base Salary: ₹ 6,00,000 /year)

A public relation specialist is someone specialising in public interactions for the company. It can include conducting press conferences, press releases, public launches, and more for the client. They also keep an eye on social media and other sources to understand the public interest in the company brand or product.

6. Event Planner (Average Base Salary: ₹ 3,95,264 /year)

Just as the name suggests, an event planner is a person who takes end-to-end responsibility for conducting an event. This includes planning the scope, resources, performing the necessary research, gathering people, creating awareness about the event, and finally organising it. An event planner’s career progression would be to a public relation specialist or marketing managers as per your choice or interest. 

7. Journalist (Average Base Salary: ₹ 3,86,014 /year)

After completing a course in public relations or mass communication, you can also choose to go into journalism. As a journalist, you will be collecting the details about the latest happenings, events, and news in your area. This job can take you places and help you widen your professional network. As per your interest, you should be able to choose a travelling or stationary work profile. 

8. Editor (Average Base Salary: ₹ 4,01,173 /year)

Another job profile to pick up after your course in public relations would be that of an editor. If you have a passion for writing and editing, this is ideal for you. As an editor for a company or publication, you will be responsible for proofreading the content that goes out to the media, filter the content, and ensure only the best quality write-ups reach the public or prospective clients. 

Read: Highest Paid Jobs in India 

9. Social Media Manager (Average Base Salary: ₹ 3,24,828 /year)

Social media are the hotspots for marketing today. This includes paid ad campaigns on Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and more. Each ad is targeted at a particular user group. As a social media manager, you will be responsible for selecting these ads, how long they run, the budget for these ads and more. You will also be required to engage with the audience with frequent updates on the social media handles, answering queries, and responding to the questions as applicable. 

10. Account Manager (Average Base Salary: ₹ 5,85,472 /year)

PR jobs involve end-to-end business management, client relations, discussion with new clients, proposals, and more. These duties are similar to an account manager’s role, who handles the complete deliverables for an account. Account managers track the work being done internally within your organisation and work closely with the client, giving them regular updates and ensuring things are on track. 

Final Thoughts

Careers in media, publications, communication and public relations are all inter-related. There are several work profiles and career advancement opportunities in these sectors that offer lucrative perks for people who are creative, outgoing and have a passion for learning new things. A career in public relations would mean you need to constantly upgrade yourself and be abreast of the latest changes in your domain. You are also expected to be tech-savvy with the ability to leverage tools and technologies to enhance your performance. 

Whether you are a fresher or an experienced professional,  it is a good idea to acquire a Master of Arts in Public Relations to have a shot at a much more comprehensive range of job opportunities in the market. You can pursue this 2-year online program from the University of Mumbai through upGrad, which includes a 6-month inbuilt internship. The course is available both in English and Marathi and has helped students earn a 57% hike in their salaries!