by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, public relations was the 138th most popular major nationwide with 5,216 degrees awarded. This represents a 2.5% reduction in PR degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 5,347.
This year's Best Public Relations Schools ranking compares 100 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom PR rankings further below.
When studying PR, you’ll learn that giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs. Required skills include talking to others to convey information effectively and understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most PR degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. Specific PR careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
There are various different levels of PR degrees. You can get anything from a in public relations to the highest PR degree, a . Different public relations degrees vary in how long they take.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to PR, with approximately 56.0% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to PR tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 59.4% |
| Master’s Degree | 20.3% |
| Some College Courses | 5.4% |
| Doctoral Degree | 3.6% |
| High School Diploma | 2.6% |
Most workers in PR have at least a bachelor's degree. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in public relations have received.
The education level required is different depending on the PR career you are seeking.
Want a job when you graduate with your PR degree? Public Relations careers are expected to grow 9.0% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to public relations.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Public Relations Specialists | 282,600 | 8.9% |
| Public Relations and Fundraising Managers | 81,100 | 10.3% |
| Communications Professors | 37,500 | 10.0% |
| Advertising and Promotions Managers | 33,000 | 5.4% |
As you might expect, salaries for PR graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for public relations graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers PR grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Advertising and Promotions Managers | $133,090 |
| Public Relations and Fundraising Managers | $131,570 |
| Communications Professors | $78,090 |
| Public Relations Specialists | $68,440 |
With over 273 different PR degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased PR school rankings to help you with this.
Public Relations is one of 10 different types of Public Relations & Advertising programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Advertising | 4,918 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication | 4,203 |
| General Organizational Communication | 2,013 |
| Other Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication | 1,553 |
| Communication Management and Strategic Communications | 1,397 |
Image Credit: By Bill Koplitz under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
