2026 Best Value Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication](/majors/communication-journalism-media/public-relations-advertising/public-relations-advertising-and-applied-communication/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong public relations, advertising, & applied communication education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 33 schools to find the best return on investment for public relations, advertising, & applied communication students.
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2026 Best Value Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public relations, advertising, & applied communication, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools
Leading the list is University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh, our #1 best value for public relations, advertising, & applied communication in the Great Lakes Region. University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh is a large public school located in the city of Oshkosh. Students from in state pay about $8,532 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $16,446. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates carry a median of $24,000 in student loans. Early-career public relations, advertising, & applied communication graduates make about $46,039. Set against $24,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Wisconsin River Falls came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value public relations, advertising, & applied communication schools. University Of Wisconsin River Falls is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of River Falls. In-state tuition and fees average $9,008, compared with $17,470 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public relations, advertising, & applied communication graduates is $24,245. Soon after graduation, public relations, advertising, & applied communication degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin River Falls generally make around $47,577. Set against $24,245 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Wisconsin River Falls admits about 82% of applicants.
Oakland University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public relations, advertising, & applied communication, landing the #3 spot this year. Oakland University is a large public school located in the suburb of Rochester Hills. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,167, while out-of-state students pay about $24,735. Students borrow a median of $24,975 to complete the public relations, advertising, & applied communication program here. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates of Oakland University earn a median of $40,299 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Ball State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value public relations, advertising, & applied communication schools. Ball State University is a very large public school located in the city of Muncie. Students from in state pay about $11,082 in tuition and fees, compared with $29,630 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public relations, advertising, & applied communication graduates is $23,879. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates of Ball State University earn a median of $38,020 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Michigan State University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value public relations, advertising, & applied communication schools. Michigan State University is a very large public school located in the city of East Lansing. In-state tuition and fees average $18,079, while out-of-state students pay about $44,850. Students borrow a median of $23,899 to complete the public relations, advertising, & applied communication program here. Soon after graduation, public relations, advertising, & applied communication degree recipients from Michigan State University generally make around $45,158. Set against $23,899 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Albion College earned the #6 position for value in public relations, advertising, & applied communication this year. Located in the town of Albion, Albion College is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $56,950. Students borrow a median of $26,254 to complete the public relations, advertising, & applied communication program here. Soon after graduation, public relations, advertising, & applied communication degree recipients from Albion College generally make around $40,829. That is a strong return on a $26,254 median debt. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Grand Valley State University came in at #7 for value in public relations, advertising, & applied communication this year. Set in the town of Allendale, Grand Valley State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,502, compared with $21,894 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,377 to complete the public relations, advertising, & applied communication program here. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates of Grand Valley State University earn a median of $38,172 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,377 median debt. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted.
Franklin College ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value public relations, advertising, & applied communication schools. Franklin College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Franklin. Students from in state pay about $38,710 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for public relations, advertising, & applied communication graduates is $27,000. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates of Franklin College earn a median of $36,964 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
Bradley University ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value public relations, advertising, & applied communication schools. Located in the city of Peoria, Bradley University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $42,160. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates carry a median of $26,819 in student loans. Early-career public relations, advertising, & applied communication graduates make about $38,351. That is a strong return on a $26,819 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 33 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
