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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Relations in the Plains States Region

15 Ranked Colleges
275 Degrees Awarded
$18,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Public Relations is the 136th most popular major in the country with 5,347 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Plains States region, there were 298 public relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 275 public relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking analyzed 15 colleges that offered a degree in public relations. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent public relations programs, but they also 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.

More Ways to Rank Public Relations Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 Plains States Region

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

Top 15 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Relations in the Plains States Region

#1

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend South Dakota State University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in Brookings, South Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 6 degrees to qualified bachelors’s PR students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at South Dakota State, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State is $19,252 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Relations at South Dakota State University

#2

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Northern Iowa. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. UNI is a medium-sized school located in Cedar Falls, Iowa that handed out 33 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

UNI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $15,620 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students per year to attend UNI.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 more about Public Relations at University of Northern Iowa

#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Iowa State University is a public institution located in Ames, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 77 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State University is $15,496 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, 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 89%.

Read more about Public Relations at Iowa State University

#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Minnesota State University - Moorhead. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. Minnesota State University - Moorhead is a medium-sized public school situated in Moorhead, Minnesota. It awarded 2 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

MSU Moorhead also made our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $16,893 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students per year to attend MSU Moorhead.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%.

Full Minnesota State University - Moorhead Public Relations Report

#5

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, Missouri
#10 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Central Missouri. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. Warrensburg, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s PR degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.

UCM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UCM is $13,677 for plains states region bachelor’s degree pr students.

Full University of Central Missouri Public Relations Report

#9 in overall quality

Missouri State University - Springfield ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Missouri State University - Springfield is located in Springfield, Missouri and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 35 bachelors’s PR degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Missouri State, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri State is $16,725 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students.

Read full report on Public Relations at Missouri State University - Springfield

#7

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, Missouri
#12 in overall quality

Lindenwood University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #7. Lindenwood University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Charles, Missouri. It awarded 8 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Lindenwood University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lindenwood University is $17,491 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students.

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%.

Full Lindenwood University Public Relations Report

#8

Loras College

Dubuque, Iowa
#4 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Loras College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Loras is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dubuque, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Loras did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $20,676 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students per year to attend Loras.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Relations at Loras College

#9

Avila University

Kansas City, Missouri
#14 in overall quality

Avila University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Avila University is a small school located in Kansas City, Missouri that handed out 3 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Avila also made our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Avila University is $17,048 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students.

Read full report on Public Relations at Avila

#10

Webster University

Saint Louis, Missouri
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Webster University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Webster also made our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for Webster University is $22,768 for plains states 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%.

Read full report on Public Relations at Webster University

#11

University of Northwestern - St Paul

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#7 in overall quality

University of Northwestern - St Paul landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. University of Northwestern - St Paul is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 14 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #7 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $21,871 for plains states region bachelor’s degree pr students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Northwestern - St Paul Public Relations Report

#12

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, Iowa
#11 in overall quality

Saint Ambrose University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Saint Ambrose University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Davenport, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Ambrose University, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Saint Ambrose University is $26,204 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students.

Read more about Public Relations at Saint Ambrose University

#13

Drake University

Des Moines, Iowa
#1 in overall quality

Drake University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Drake is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Des Moines, Iowa. It awarded 42 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

Drake also made our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Drake is $29,432 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 86%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Public Relations at Drake University

#14

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, Iowa
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Buena Vista University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. BVU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Storm Lake, Iowa. It awarded 2 bachelors’s PR degrees in 2019-2020.

BVU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Buena Vista University is $17,544 for Plains States 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 Buena Vista University

#15 in overall quality

Drury University - College of Continuing Professional Studies ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value PR Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in Springfield, Missouri, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 2 degrees to qualified bachelors’s PR students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Drury University - CCPS, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Public Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Drury University - College of Continuing Professional Studies is $13,233 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree PR students.

Read full report on Public Relations at Drury University - CCPS

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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.

Credits

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