2027 Best Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools in District of Columbia

Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. The schools below stand out for the quality of their public relations, advertising, & applied communication programs.

For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for public relations, advertising, & applied communication students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools in District of Columbia

Best Schools for Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication in District of Columbia

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the public relations, advertising, & applied communication degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication

1

Georgetown University
Washington, DC

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

96 Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Degrees Awarded

$91,362 Median Starting Salary

Our analysis ranked Georgetown University the best school in the country for a degree in public relations, advertising, & applied communication. Set in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 95%. About 96 public relations, advertising, & applied communication degrees were awarded at Georgetown University in the most recent year. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates of Georgetown University earn a median of $91,362 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $16,483. Get the full public relations, advertising, & applied communication details for Georgetown University

2

Howard University
Washington, DC

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

94 Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Degrees Awarded

$39,120 Median Starting Salary

Howard University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in public relations, advertising, & applied communication, ranking #2. Howard University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. The six-year graduation rate is 70%. There were roughly 94 public relations, advertising, & applied communication students who graduated with this degree at Howard University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, public relations, advertising, & applied communication degree recipients from Howard University generally make around $39,120. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete this degree. Get the full public relations, advertising, & applied communication details for Howard University

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 2 schools evaluated.

• 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.