by our College Data Analytics Team
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 4,203 people earned their degree in public relations, advertising, and applied communication, making the major the 170th most popular in the United States.
Across the Southeast region, there were 1,286 public relations, advertising, and applied communication graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,148 public relations, advertising, and applied communication graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,400 and $27,180 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region” ranking looked at 36 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in public relations, advertising, and applied communication. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their public relations, advertising, and applied communication program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region bachelor’s degree public relations, advertising, and applied communication students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Webber International University. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region. Located in Babson Park, Florida, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 18 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication students in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Flagler College - St Augustine. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region list. Flagler College - St Augustine is a small school located in Saint Augustine, Florida that handed out 55 bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Flagler College - St Augustine Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Loyola University New Orleans. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region list. New Orleans, Louisiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees to 40 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication at Loyola New Orleans
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Tampa. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region. Located in Tampa, Florida, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 85 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full The University of Tampa Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Report
Out of the 36 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Florida Memorial University landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Miami Gardens, Florida, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Florida Memorial University Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Report
William Peace University ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region list. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication at WPU
Midway University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Midway is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Midway, Kentucky. It awarded 9 bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication at Midway
Kennesaw State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Kennesaw, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees to 172 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication at KSU Georgia
With a ranking of #9, Florida Southern College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region list. This small school is located in Lakeland, Florida, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication at Florida Southern College
Oglethorpe University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #10. Atlanta, Georgia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.
Full Oglethorpe Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Report
University of Louisiana at Lafayette ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region list. UL Lafayette is a public institution located in Lafayette, Louisiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication at UL Lafayette
Florida International University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #12. FIU is a large public school situated in Miami, Florida. It awarded 276 bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication at FIU
Anderson University South Carolina ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region list. This small school is located in Anderson, South Carolina, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #14, Meredith College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region list. Meredith College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Raleigh, North Carolina. It awarded 7 bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication at Meredith
University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region ranking. USF Tampa is located in Tampa, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 183 bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication at USF Tampa
Lynn University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #16. Lynn University is located in Boca Raton, Florida and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #17, University of Central Arkansas did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region list. UCA is a public institution located in Conway, Arkansas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication at UCA
Oakwood University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Oakwood University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Huntsville, Alabama. It awarded 3 bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees in 2020-2021.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Oakwood University Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Report
Wingate University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Wingate University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wingate, North Carolina. It awarded 7 bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication at Wingate
Louisiana College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Louisiana College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pineville, Louisiana. It awarded 2 bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication at Louisiana College
Belmont University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 17 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication at Belmont University
West Virginia Wesleyan College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #22. Buckhannon, West Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.
Florida State University ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region list. Florida State University is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 88 bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.
Read more about Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication at Florida State
Harding University ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region list. Harding is a private not-for-profit institution located in Searcy, Arkansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Harding Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Report
With a ranking of #25, Belhaven University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Major in the Southeast Region list. Located in Jackson, Mississippi, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public relations, advertising, and applied communication students in 2020-2021.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Belhaven University Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Report
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
