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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Relations (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region

27 Ranked Colleges
1,544 Degrees Awarded
Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 5,347 people earned their degree in public relations, making the major the 136th most popular in the United States.

Across the Southeast region, there were 1,616 public relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,544 public relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 27 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in public relations. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality public relations programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the public relations program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Relations (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region

#1

Washington and Lee University

Lexington, Virginia
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Washington and Lee University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Lexington, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 21 degrees to qualified bachelors’s PR students in 2019-2020.

Washington and Lee not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Washington and Lee University is $4,718 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Washington and Lee University Public Relations Report

#2

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 196 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

UF not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $8,528 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UF.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Relations at UF

#3

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Georgia landed the #3 spot on the list. University of Georgia is a large school located in Athens, Georgia that handed out 161 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

UGA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UGA is $14,748 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Relations at University of Georgia

#4

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky
#14 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northern Kentucky University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Northern Kentucky University is a fairly large school located in Highland Heights, Kentucky that handed out 31 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

NKU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Northern Kentucky University is $10,039 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Northern Kentucky University Public Relations Report

#5

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina
#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Appalachian State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Appalachian State University is located in Boone, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 89 bachelors’s PR degrees to qualified students.

Appalachian State also took the #9 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Appalachian State University is $13,827 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 full report on Public Relations at Appalachian State University

#6

Murray State University

Murray, Kentucky
#18 in overall quality

Murray State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. Murray State is a medium-sized school located in Murray, Kentucky that handed out 27 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k list, Murray State has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Murray State is $11,959 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Murray State Public Relations Report

#7

Georgia Southern University

Statesboro, Georgia
#11 in overall quality

Georgia Southern University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. Statesboro, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s PR degrees to 87 students in 2019-2020.

GaSou also took the #11 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Georgia Southern University is $16,373 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Public Relations at Georgia Southern University

#8

University of South Carolina - Columbia

Columbia, South Carolina
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, University of South Carolina - Columbia did quite well on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Columbia, South Carolina, this large public school awarded 167 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s PR students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UofSC, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UofSC is $20,783 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Full UofSC Public Relations Report

#9

Harding University

Searcy, Arkansas
#12 in overall quality

Harding University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Harding is a private not-for-profit institution located in Searcy, Arkansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Harding not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Harding is $18,132 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Relations at Harding

#20 in overall quality

University of Louisiana at Lafayette ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UL Lafayette is a public institution located in Lafayette, Louisiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UL Lafayette, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $13,353 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UL Lafayette.

Full UL Lafayette Public Relations Report

#11

The University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa, Alabama
#6 in overall quality

The University of Alabama came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, this large public school awarded 239 degrees to qualified bachelors’s PR students in 2019-2020.

UA also took the #6 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Alabama is $23,284 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read full report on Public Relations at UA

#12

Eastern Kentucky University

Richmond, Kentucky
#24 in overall quality

Eastern Kentucky University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Eastern Kentucky University is a fairly large school located in Richmond, Kentucky that handed out 31 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Eastern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Kentucky University is $14,004 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Eastern Kentucky University Public Relations Report

#13

Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, Kentucky
#15 in overall quality

Western Kentucky University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. WKU is a public institution located in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

WKU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Western Kentucky University is $15,209 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Public Relations at WKU

#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, The University of Tennessee - Knoxville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UT Knoxville is a public institution located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 61 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Knoxville, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $23,211 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UT Knoxville.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Relations at The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

#15

University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee
#22 in overall quality

University of Memphis came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UofM is a large public school situated in Memphis, Tennessee. It awarded 32 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

UofM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $15,287 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UofM.

Full UofM Public Relations Report

#16

Mississippi College

Clinton, Mississippi
#16 in overall quality

Mississippi College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. MC is located in Clinton, Mississippi and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s PR degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at MC, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mississippi College is $18,221 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Mississippi College Public Relations Report

#25 in overall quality

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Tallahassee, Florida, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Florida A&M University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $17,708 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Florida A&M University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Public Relations at Florida A&M University

#18

Auburn University

Auburn, Alabama
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Auburn University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Auburn is a large public school situated in Auburn, Alabama. It awarded 86 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k list, Auburn has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Auburn University is $24,079 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Relations at Auburn University

#19

Lee University

Cleveland, Tennessee
#21 in overall quality

Lee University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Lee University is located in Cleveland, Tennessee and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 35 bachelors’s PR degrees to qualified students.

Lee University also took the #21 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lee University is $17,884 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Public Relations at Lee University

#20

Winthrop University

Rock Hill, South Carolina
#19 in overall quality

Winthrop University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. Winthrop is located in Rock Hill, South Carolina and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s PR degrees to qualified students.

Winthrop did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Winthrop is $19,575 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Public Relations at Winthrop

#21

University of Florida-Online

Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida-Online came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Florida-Online is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 52 bachelors’s PR degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $8,383 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UF Online.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Relations at University of Florida-Online

#22

Lipscomb University

Nashville, Tennessee
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, Lipscomb University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Lipscomb University is a small school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 3 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Lipscomb not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lipscomb University is $25,044 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 Lipscomb University Public Relations Report

#23

Belmont University

Nashville, Tennessee
#10 in overall quality

Belmont University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s PR students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Belmont, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Belmont is $31,006 for southeast region bachelor’s degree pr students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Relations at Belmont University

#24

Palm Beach Atlantic University

West Palm Beach, Florida
#17 in overall quality

Palm Beach Atlantic University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. West Palm Beach, Florida is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s PR degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

Palm Beach Atlantic also took the #17 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Palm Beach Atlantic University is $25,669 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Relations at Palm Beach Atlantic

#25

Barry University

Miami, Florida
#23 in overall quality

Barry University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Miami, Florida, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s PR students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Barry University, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Barry University is $19,257 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Barry University Public Relations Report

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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