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2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

264 Ranked Colleges
16,820 Degrees Awarded
$8,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Public Relations & Advertising is the 53rd most popular major in the country with 20,229 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, public relations and advertising graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $36,513 and had an average of $25,130 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 16,820 public relations and advertising graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 264 colleges that offered a degree in public relations and advertising. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent public relations and advertising programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the public relations and advertising program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” 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. 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 Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Relations & Advertising (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Washington and Lee University

Lexington, Virginia
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington and Lee University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Washington and Lee University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lexington, Virginia. It awarded 21 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Washington and Lee also took the #1 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $2,039 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Washington and Lee.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. 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.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Washington and Lee University

#2

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 264 schools in the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k 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 394 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

UF also took the #6 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $4,069 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at UF

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 245 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $8,464 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#4

Franklin University

Columbus, Ohio

Out of the 264 schools in the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Franklin University landed the #4 spot on the list. Franklin University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Franklin University is $11,992 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Franklin University

#5

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Florida State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Florida State University is a large school located in Tallahassee, Florida that handed out 109 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Florida State excels when it comes to public relations quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $6,816 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Florida State University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Florida State University

Florida International University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. FIU is a large public school situated in Miami, Florida. It awarded 171 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend FIU is $6,683 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at FIU

#7

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Georgia is a large school located in Athens, Georgia that handed out 348 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, UGA has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UGA is $10,241 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at University of Georgia

#8

Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, New York

Fashion Institute of Technology came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in New York, New York, this medium-sized public school handed out 282 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2019-2020.

FIT SUNY did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend FIT SUNY is $9,399 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 3.8% 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 & Advertising at Fashion Institute of Technology

University of Central Florida landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCF is located in Orlando, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 132 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend UCF is $7,847 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, 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 92%.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at University of Central Florida

With a ranking of #10, Brigham Young University - Provo did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Provo, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 243 students in 2019-2020.

BYU also made our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for BYU is $10,425 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low 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 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at BYU

University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Tampa, Florida. It awarded 80 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,616 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at USF Tampa

With a ranking of #12, California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. CSUDH is a public institution located in Carson, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 70 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,115 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Dominguez Hills.

The low 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%.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at California State University - Dominguez Hills

#13

Washington State University

Pullman, Washington
Top 15% in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Washington State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Pullman, Washington is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 288 students in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Wazzu also did well on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $11,337 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Washington State University.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Washington State University

With a ranking of #14, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 567 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, UT Austin has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UT Austin is $13,575 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low 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%.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at UT Austin

#15

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. Texas Tech is located in Lubbock, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 262 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Texas Tech is also in the top of our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Texas Tech is $13,326 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Full Texas Tech University Public Relations & Advertising Report

#16

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. Located in River Falls, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 57 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,124 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls.

The low 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%.

Full UW - River Falls Public Relations & Advertising Report

California State University - Long Beach landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Long Beach is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 46 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,595 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend CSULB.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. 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 more about Public Relations & Advertising at CSULB

#18

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

San Diego State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. San Diego State University is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 31 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $10,594 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at San Diego State University

#19

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. NKU is a public institution located in Highland Heights, Kentucky. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $6,295 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northern Kentucky University.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Northern Kentucky University

Iowa State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 130 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Iowa State is also in the top of our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State University is $10,843 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 89%.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Iowa State University

#21

University of North Texas

Denton, Texas

University of North Texas ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. UNT is located in Denton, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend UNT is $9,082 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at UNT

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Stillwater, Oklahoma is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 122 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is $9,962 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Public Relations & Advertising Report

Arizona State University - Tempe ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. ASU - Tempe is located in Tempe, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 92 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend ASU - Tempe is $8,921 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Arizona State University - Tempe

#24

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Boone, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 156 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Appalachian State University is $9,884 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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%.

Full Appalachian State Public Relations & Advertising Report

#25

University of Houston

Houston, Texas

University of Houston ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. UH is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 154 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,925 for bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Houston.

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 & Advertising at UH

Rest of the Best 40 in Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

Not only did these schools make the top 40 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

George Washington University

Washington, District of Columbia
#28

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#29

University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, Colorado
#30

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin
#31

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#33

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#34

Texas State University

San Marcos, Texas
#35

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#36

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana
#37

University of Oregon

Eugene, Oregon
#38

University of Vermont

Burlington, Vermont
#39

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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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