2027 Best Value Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools in Indiana

[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 best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for public relations, advertising, & applied communication students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools in Indiana
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public relations, advertising, & applied communication degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools
Our analysis ranked Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis the best value for a degree in public relations, advertising, & applied communication in Indiana. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a very large public school located in the city of Indianapolis. Students from in state pay about $10,762 in tuition and fees, compared with $34,891 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public relations, advertising, & applied communication graduates is $23,146. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis earn a median of $56,930 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,146 median debt. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
Ball State University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value public relations, advertising, & applied communication schools. Located in the city of Muncie, Ball State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,082, while out-of-state students pay about $29,630. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates carry a median of $23,879 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public relations, advertising, & applied communication degree recipients from Ball State University generally make around $38,020. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Ball State University admits about 86% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Franklin College earned it the #3 place for public relations, advertising, & applied communication. Set in the suburb of Franklin, Franklin College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $38,710 in tuition and fees. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career public relations, advertising, & applied communication graduates make about $36,964. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 70%.
More Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Rankings
View All Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.