by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 165 U.S. colleges awarded 4,246 degrees and certificates in Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 77% of graduates. College Factual ranks 72 schools in its 2027 Best Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $43,684 one year after completing, rising to $67,080 after four years.
Studying Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication involves the study of Public Relations, Advertising, And Applied Communication. A General Program That Focuses On Organizational Communication, Public Relations, And Advertising; And That Prepares Individuals To Function In A Wide Range Of Public And Private Sector Positions Requiring The Skills Of Persuasive Communication. Includes Instruction In Communications, Public Relations, And Advertising Theory; Principles And Techniques Of Persuasion; Message/image Design; Marketing Strategy; Professional Writing; Public Speaking And Multi-Media Presentation Skills; Digital Communications; And Applied Research. Examples: [Public Relations And Advertising], [Applied Communication].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., public relations, advertising, & applied communication is a widely-pursued major, with 4,246 degrees awarded annually. 165 colleges award public relations, advertising, & applied communication degrees, an average of 26 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 317.
By level, the 4,246 awards include 1 certificates, 34 associate degrees, 3,269 bachelor’s degrees, 933 master’s degrees and 9 doctorates.
Women earned 76% of public relations, advertising, & applied communication degrees and certificates in the latest year (3,244 of 4,246). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (2,470) and Hispanic or Latino (792), and international students earned 184.
College Factual ranks 72 schools in its 2027 Best Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools ranking, including 57 for bachelor’s degrees and 22 for master’s degrees. It also ranks public relations, advertising, & applied communication schools within 28 states. In all, 165 colleges offer public relations, advertising, & applied communication programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common public relations, advertising, & applied communication credential is the bachelor’s degree: 3,269 of the 4,246 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to public relations, advertising, & applied communication call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of English Language, Communications and Media and Customer and Personal Service, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Speech Clarity.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a public relations, advertising, & applied communication degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 34 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 3,269 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 933 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 9 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to public relations, advertising, & applied communication, at 43.9%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 43.9% |
| Master’s degree | 34.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 7.3% |
| Post-doctoral training | 4.5% |
| Some college courses | 4.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.5% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.0% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.9% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.4% |
Source: O*NET Online.
6 occupations are related to Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication, with an average median salary of $110,266; the strongest outlook belongs to Fundraisers, at 12.6% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Campaign Manager, Communications Media Professor, Communications Assistant Professor and Communications Professor.
The occupation related to public relations, advertising, & applied communication with the most projected jobs is Communications Teachers, Postsecondary, at 919,494.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | 919,494 | -1.5% |
| Fundraising Managers | 340,731 | -1.0% |
| Fundraisers | 340,575 | 12.6% |
| Public Relations Managers | 337,124 | 7.0% |
| Advertising and Promotions Managers | 324,973 | -3.3% |
| Public Relations Specialists | 288,926 | -3.5% |
Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates earn a median $43,684 one year after completing their program, $67,080 after four years and $64,953 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $43,684 |
| 4 years | $67,080 |
| 5 years | $64,953 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to public relations, advertising, & applied communication is Public Relations Managers, with a median salary of $139,736.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Public Relations Managers | $139,736 |
| Fundraisers | $118,069 |
| Advertising and Promotions Managers | $113,521 |
| Public Relations Specialists | $103,749 |
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | $96,169 |
| Fundraising Managers | $90,350 |
Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication has 10 similar majors in the Communication & Journalism field, which together award 16,301 degrees a year; the largest are Advertising (4,633), Public Relations/Image Management (4,191) and Communication Management and Strategic Communications (2,072). Browse all Communication & Journalism majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Advertising | 4,633 |
| Public Relations/Image Management | 4,191 |
| Communication Management and Strategic Communications | 2,072 |
| Organizational Communication, General | 1,837 |
| Sports Communication | 1,509 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, Other | 1,165 |
| Health Communication | 365 |
| Political Communication | 196 |
| Technical and Scientific Communication | 175 |
| International and Intercultural Communication | 158 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
