by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended PR Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Public Relations is the 138th most popular major in the country with 5,216 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
For this year’s “Most Well Attended PR Major” ranking, we looked at 174 colleges that offer a degree in public relations. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in public relations.
Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended PR Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended PR Major”.
Out of the 174 schools in the Most Well Attended PR Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Oregon landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Eugene, Oregon, this large public school handed out 244 diplomas to qualified ’s PR students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Texas State University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended PR Major list. Texas State is a public institution located in San Marcos, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 201 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Public Relations at Texas State University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended PR Major. UF is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 213 ’s PR degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Out of the 174 schools in the Most Well Attended PR Major that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Alabama landed the #4 spot on the list. UA is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 194 ’s PR degrees to qualified students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of South Carolina - Columbia. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended PR Major list. UofSC is a public institution located in Columbia, South Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 153 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Miami University - Oxford came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended PR Major ranking. Oxford, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s PR degrees to 146 students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The low undergrad 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%.
Read more about Public Relations at Miami University - Oxford
Texas Tech University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended PR Major ranking, coming in at #6. Texas Tech is a public institution located in Lubbock, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 146 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
With a ranking of #8, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended PR Major list. USC is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 144 ’s PR degrees to qualified students.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%.
The University of Texas at Austin did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended PR Major ranking, coming in at #9. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s PR degrees to 139 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Public Relations at The University of Texas at Austin
Syracuse University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended PR Major ranking, coming in at #10. Syracuse University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Syracuse, New York. It awarded 133 ’s PR degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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.
University of Georgia landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended PR Major ranking. University of Georgia is a public institution located in Athens, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 132 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad 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%.
Washington State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended PR Major ranking. Located in Pullman, Washington, this large public school handed out 106 diplomas to qualified ’s PR students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad 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%.
American University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended PR Major ranking. Washington, District of Columbia is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s PR degrees to 100 students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.
California State University - Dominguez Hills ranked #14 on this year’s Most Well Attended PR Major list. California State University - Dominguez Hills is located in Carson, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 96 ’s PR degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Dominguez Hills Public Relations Report
With a ranking of #14, University of Rhode Island did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended PR Major list. URI is located in Kingston, Rhode Island and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 96 ’s PR degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%.
Read full report on Public Relations at University of Rhode Island
Temple University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended PR Major ranking. This large school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 92 ’s PR degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Georgetown University ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended PR Major list. Georgetown University is a large school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 89 ’s PR degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.
Illinois State University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended PR Major ranking. This large school is located in Normal, Illinois, and it awarded 89 ’s PR degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Relations at Illinois State University
University of Miami landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended PR Major ranking. University of Miami is located in Coral Gables, Florida and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 88 ’s PR degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad 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%.
Brigham Young University - Provo ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended PR Major list. BYU is located in Provo, Utah and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 88 ’s PR degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Relations at Brigham Young University - Provo
Rowan University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended PR Major ranking. This fairly large school is located in Glassboro, New Jersey, and it awarded 87 ’s PR degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #22, University of Houston did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended PR Major list. Houston, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s PR degrees to 85 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 University of Houston
With a ranking of #23, Appalachian State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended PR Major list. Located in Boone, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 73 degrees to qualified ’s PR students in 2020-2021.
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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Relations at Appalachian State University
Auburn University ranked #24 on this year’s Most Well Attended PR Major list. Auburn is a large public school situated in Auburn, Alabama. It awarded 70 ’s PR degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.
With a ranking of #25, Iowa State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended PR Major list. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school handed out 69 degrees to qualified ’s PR students in 2020-2021.
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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%.
Not only did these schools make the top 27 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
