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2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region

28 Ranked Colleges
775 Degrees Awarded
$19,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this 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 Great Lakes region, there were 846 public relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 775 public relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking looked at 28 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in public relations. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great public relations programs and cost less that 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Relations in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Franklin University

Columbus, Ohio
#15 in overall quality

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Franklin University landed the #1 spot on the list. Franklin University is a medium-sized school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 7 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Franklin University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Franklin University is $12,895 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students.

Read full report on Public Relations at Franklin University

#2

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Illinois State University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Illinois State University is a large school located in Normal, Illinois that handed out 80 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State University is $20,895 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students.

The 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 full report on Public Relations at Illinois State University

#3

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan
#22 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ferris State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Big Rapids, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s PR degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ferris, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $12,889 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students per year to attend Ferris.

Read more about Public Relations at Ferris State University

#4

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Eastern Illinois University landed the #4 spot on the list. EIU is located in Charleston, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s PR degrees to qualified students.

EIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Illinois University is $14,607 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students.

Read full report on Public Relations at Eastern Illinois University

#5

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan
#8 in overall quality

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Central Michigan University landed the #5 spot on the list. Central Michigan University is a fairly large public school situated in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. It awarded 70 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Central Michigan also took the #8 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,981 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students per year to attend Central Michigan.

Read more about Public Relations at Central Michigan

#6

Cleveland State University

Cleveland, Ohio
#19 in overall quality

Cleveland State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Cleveland, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s PR degrees to 40 students in 2019-2020.

Cleveland State University also took the #19 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $17,278 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students per year to attend Cleveland State University.

Full Cleveland State University Public Relations Report

#7

Northern Michigan University

Marquette, Michigan
#21 in overall quality

Northern Michigan University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Northern Michigan University is a public institution located in Marquette, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northern Michigan University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,453 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students per year to attend Northern Michigan University.

Read full report on Public Relations at Northern Michigan University

#18 in overall quality

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #8. Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Bowling Green, Ohio. It awarded 13 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

BGSU also made our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend BGSU is $18,394 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students.

Read more about Public Relations at BGSU

#14 in overall quality

Kent State University at Kent did quite well in the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #9. Kent, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s PR degrees to 41 students in 2019-2020.

Kent State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Kent State University at Kent is $18,885 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students.

Read more about Public Relations at Kent State University at Kent

#10

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, Michigan

Eastern Michigan University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Ypsilanti, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s PR degrees to 20 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Eastern Michigan University is $15,924 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students.

Read full report on Public Relations at Eastern Michigan University

#24 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, University of Akron Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Akron, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s PR degrees to 33 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students list, University of Akron Main Campus has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Akron Main Campus is $17,792 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students.

Read more about Public Relations at University of Akron Main Campus

#12

Otterbein University

Westerville, Ohio
#7 in overall quality

Otterbein University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Westerville, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s PR degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students list, Otterbein has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Otterbein is $23,386 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students.

The low student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 Otterbein University Public Relations Report

#2 in overall quality

Miami University - Oxford did quite well in the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #13. This fairly large school is located in Oxford, Ohio, and it awarded 183 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Miami University - Oxford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $24,323 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students per year to attend Miami University - Oxford.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about Public Relations at Miami University - Oxford

#14

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

Bradley University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Bradley University is a medium-sized school located in Peoria, Illinois that handed out 19 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Bradley also took the #3 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $25,634 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students per year to attend Bradley.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read more about Public Relations at Bradley University

#15

Taylor University

Upland, Indiana
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Taylor University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Upland, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s PR degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.

Taylor U also made our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Taylor University is $25,888 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Public Relations at Taylor University

#16

Franklin College

Franklin, Indiana
#11 in overall quality

Franklin College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #16. Franklin College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Franklin, Indiana. It awarded 15 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Franklin College of Indiana also made our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $21,838 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students per year to attend Franklin College of Indiana.

Read more about Public Relations at Franklin College of Indiana

#17

Wayne State University

Detroit, Michigan
#16 in overall quality

Wayne State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Wayne State is a public institution located in Detroit, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wayne State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $13,965 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students per year to attend Wayne State University.

Full Wayne State Public Relations Report

#18

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

Columbia College Chicago ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Columbia is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 14 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia also made our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia is $31,099 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students.

Read full report on Public Relations at Columbia

#10 in overall quality

Baldwin Wallace University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Baldwin Wallace College is a small school located in Berea, Ohio that handed out 12 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Baldwin Wallace College also took the #10 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Baldwin Wallace College is $22,917 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students.

The low student loan default rate of 4.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full Baldwin Wallace College Public Relations Report

#20

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Dominican University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in River Forest, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s PR students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dominican U, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dominican University is $19,268 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Public Relations at Dominican U

#21

Capital University

Columbus, Ohio
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Capital University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Capital is a small school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 14 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Capital, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $22,642 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students per year to attend Capital.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Relations at Capital

#22

Ursuline College

Pepper Pike, Ohio
#23 in overall quality

Ursuline College landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Pepper Pike, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s PR students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students list, Ursuline College has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $16,760 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students per year to attend Ursuline College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Public Relations at Ursuline College

#23

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois
#25 in overall quality

Olivet Nazarene University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Olivet Nazarene University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Olivet Nazarene did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Olivet Nazarene University is $20,195 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Relations at Olivet Nazarene

#24

Notre Dame College

Cleveland, Ohio

Notre Dame College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. NDC is a small school located in Cleveland, Ohio that handed out 6 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $19,907 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students per year to attend NDC.

Full NDC Public Relations Report

#25

Manchester University

North Manchester, Indiana

Manchester University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in North Manchester, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s PR students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Manchester University is $17,557 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree pr students.

Full Manchester 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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