The average PR and communications salary is £45,100, down from £53,781 in 2013.
The average agency salary is £44,805, down from £54,311 in 2013. Pay at the senior levels has fallen, but professionals who are Account Director-level or below have seen a small increase.
In-house salaries increase more uniformly, and the average salary is £43,591, down from £50,438.
The average freelancer salary is £56,789, down from £73,322 in 2013.
There is a significant pay disparity between men and women, an average of £9,111.
The highest salaries in PR and communications agencies go to those handling central government work, alongside retail and wholesale, and food, beverages and tobacco. In-house salaries peak for those working for technology, finance, and utilities companies.
PR and communications professionals are contracted to work, on average, 35 hours a week. However, the average amount of time they are actually working is 45 hours a week.
The leading form of flexible working in the PR and communications industry is flexitime (core hours with flexible start and finish) which is taken up by 28% of the industry.
This research is revealed by the PR Census 2016, the most comprehensive and authoritative analysis of the PR industry, developed by the PRCA in conjunction with PRWeek and global research house YouGov. To find out more and to order a copy of the report, go to Resources.