2026 Best Value Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools in the Southwest Region
[Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication](/majors/communication-journalism-media/public-relations-advertising/public-relations-advertising-and-applied-communication/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 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 Southwest Region
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
University Of Houston tops our 2026 list of the best value public relations, advertising, & applied communication schools in the Southwest Region. Set in the city of Houston, University Of Houston is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,717 in tuition and fees, compared with $22,547 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public relations, advertising, & applied communication graduates is $23,800. Early-career public relations, advertising, & applied communication graduates make about $42,472. Set against $23,800 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Houston admits about 74% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at El Paso Community College earned it the #2 place for public relations, advertising, & applied communication. Located in the city of El Paso, El Paso Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $3,274, with out-of-state students paying around $5,314. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates carry a median of $8,542 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public relations, advertising, & applied communication degree recipients from El Paso Community College generally make around $29,086. That is a strong return on a $8,542 median debt.
University Of Central Oklahoma is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public relations, advertising, & applied communication, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of Central Oklahoma is a large public school located in the suburb of Edmond. In-state tuition and fees average $8,818, compared with $19,704 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public relations, advertising, & applied communication graduates is $21,500. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates of University Of Central Oklahoma earn a median of $36,388 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. University Of Central Oklahoma admits about 78% of applicants.
Texas Tech University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public relations, advertising, & applied communication, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,852 in tuition and fees, compared with $24,157 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the public relations, advertising, & applied communication program here. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates of Texas Tech University earn a median of $50,074 early in their careers. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Texas Tech University admits about 73% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes East Texas Baptist University one of the best values for public relations, advertising, & applied communication. Set in the town of Marshall, East Texas Baptist University is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $30,680. Students borrow a median of $25,137 to complete the public relations, advertising, & applied communication program here. Early-career public relations, advertising, & applied communication graduates make about $44,734. Set against $25,137 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 58% of applicants are accepted.
Texas Christian University earned the #6 position for value in public relations, advertising, & applied communication this year. Located in the city of Fort Worth, Texas Christian University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,740. Students borrow a median of $24,148 to complete the public relations, advertising, & applied communication program here. Early-career public relations, advertising, & applied communication graduates make about $48,053. That is a strong return on a $24,148 median debt. Roughly 44% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
