2027 Best Value Public Relations Schools in District of Columbia
[Public Relations](/majors/communication-journalism-media/public-relations-advertising/public-relations/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value public relations schools.
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2027 Best Value Public Relations Schools in District of Columbia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public relations, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Relations Schools
For return on investment in public relations, no school beat George Washington University this year. George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. In-state tuition and fees average $67,710. Typical student debt for public relations graduates is $23,250. Soon after graduation, public relations degree recipients from George Washington University generally make around $73,569. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. George Washington University admits about 47% of applicants.
Georgetown University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value public relations schools. Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. In-state tuition and fees average $68,089. Public Relations graduates carry a median of $16,483 in student loans. Public Relations graduates of Georgetown University earn a median of $91,362 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Georgetown University admits about 13% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes American University one of the best values for public relations. Located in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $58,771 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,442 to complete the public relations program here. Soon after graduation, public relations degree recipients from American University generally make around $56,877. That is a strong return on a $26,442 median debt. American University admits about 62% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- 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.
