SOC 11-2032

Public Relations Managers Salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + NC
COL Index: 135.43 (+35.4% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 68.6% Realized
$94,551 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $137,870 $66.28/hr
Effective Tax Drag 25.42% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 24% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$35,047 $1,347.95/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $66.28 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$8,272/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$1,985/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$19,837
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$8,548
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$1,999
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$4,662
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$94,551 ($3,636.58 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Public Relations Managers Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $137,870
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $80.4k 25th $105k Median: $137,870 50th (Median) $138k 75th $187k 90th $240k You: $137,870
10th (Entry) $80,430 $38.67/hr
25th (Junior) $104,720 $50.35/hr
50th (Median) $137,870 $66.28/hr
75th (Senior) $186,780 $89.80/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $239,580 $115.18/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Public Relations Managers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
1
PR CoordinatorBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$77,330$37.18/hr · 0-2 Years
2
PR SpecialistDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities
$100,040$48.10/hr · 2-5 Years
3
PR ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$137,861$66.28/hr · 5-9 Years
4
Senior PR ManagerOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$191,916$92.27/hr · 9-14 Years
5
Director / VP of CommunicationsExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$267,463$128.59/hr · 14+ Years
Scaled to the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC medianView National Public Relations Managers Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Public Relations Specialists-$72,160/yr
National median: $74,750
Skill overlap: 97%
Management Analysts-$45,050/yr
National median: $101,860
Skill overlap: 92%View Salary
Advertising and Promotions Managers-$13,250/yr
National median: $133,660
Skill overlap: 91%View Salary
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists-$68,150/yr
National median: $78,760
Skill overlap: 87%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
20% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,554/month Requires minimum annual gross of $62,160
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,745/month Requires minimum annual gross of $69,800
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $29.95/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $24.96/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$137,870-$35,047$94,551$3,636.58
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$163,721-$43,826$110,072$4,233.52
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$189,571-$52,290$125,907$4,842.56
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$215,422-$59,605$142,891$5,495.81
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$241,273-$67,728$159,068$6,118.00
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Public Relations Managers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and North Carolina tax codes.

Market Baseline
$137,870/yr
$66.28/hr · SOC 11-2032
Statutory Tax Drag
25.42% Effective
-$35,047 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
20% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$6,325/mo
Post-$1,554/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 11-2032
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Public Relations Managers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC: Market Snapshot

Public Relations Managers roles in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC report a median annual wage of $137,870, 6.2% below the national median of $146,910. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $80,430 to $239,580, and HUD’s $1,554 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 13.5% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $29.95 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Public Relations Managers

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$213,510+54.9%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$195,190+41.6%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$192,720+39.8%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$192,360+39.5%
Trenton-Princeton, NJ$179,330+30.1%
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$177,370+28.7%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$176,390+27.9%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$174,990+26.9%
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$174,260+26.4%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$166,590+20.8%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$381,330$183.33/hr
Sales Managers$190,370$91.52/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$183,540$88.24/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$176,190$84.71/hr
Marketing Managers$175,160$84.21/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$172,480$82.92/hr
Financial Manager$165,470$79.55/hr
Human Resources Managers$160,580$77.20/hr
Purchasing Managers$160,370$77.10/hr
Data Engineer$141,770$68.16/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 181 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Public Relations Managers Salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (2026) Overview

Public Relations Managers median pay in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC is $137,870 a year ($66.28/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Public Relations Managers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Public Relations Managers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?

The median annual wage is $137,870 ($66.28 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $80,430 and $239,580. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Public Relations Managers in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC after taxes?

On the median wage of $137,870, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $100,508 a year ($8,376 a month) after $37,362 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 27.1%, using 2026 tax rules.