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2023 Best Value Colleges for Public Relations & Advertising (Income $48-$75k)

254 Ranked Colleges
21,099 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

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 Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 21,099 people earned their degree in public relations and advertising, making the major the 52nd most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, public relations and advertising graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $38,287 and had an average of $23,973 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 254 colleges that offered a degree in public relations and advertising. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great public relations and advertising 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 and advertising program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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The public relations school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Public Relations & Advertising (Income $48-$75k)

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s public relations degrees to 54 students in 2020-2021.

Northwestern also made our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $5,849 for public relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northwestern.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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 full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Northwestern University

2
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 254 schools in the Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this large public school handed out 409 degrees to qualified ’s public relations students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our public relations students whose families make $48-$75k list, UF has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,394 for public relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UF.

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.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at University of Florida

3
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Georgetown University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k. Georgetown is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Washington, District of Columbia. It awarded 157 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Georgetown, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” ranking. It costs about $12,505 for public relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Georgetown University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Georgetown University Public Relations & Advertising Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 247 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC also made our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $11,505 for Public Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, 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.

Full UIUC Public Relations & Advertising Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas at Austin. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. The University of Texas at Austin is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 616 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our public relations students whose families make $48-$75k list, UT Austin has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UT Austin is $16,134 for public relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at The University of Texas at Austin

6

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public relations degrees to 83 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Twin Cities, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Twin Cities is $12,911 for public relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at UMN Twin Cities

7
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UGA is a public institution located in Athens, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 384 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UGA also made our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for University of Georgia is $15,037 for Public Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Full UGA Public Relations & Advertising Report

8

Fashion Institute of Technology ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Fashion Institute of Technology is a medium-sized public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 598 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, FIT SUNY is in the top on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend FIT SUNY is $12,228 for Public Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at FIT SUNY

9

Brigham Young University - Provo ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Brigham Young University - Provo is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Provo, Utah. It awarded 187 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

BYU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $12,676 for Public Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Brigham Young University - Provo.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, 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 full report on Public Relations & Advertising at BYU

10
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school handed out 139 degrees to qualified ’s public relations students in 2020-2021.

Florida State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State University is $11,506 for public relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Florida State University Public Relations & Advertising Report

11

University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. Lincoln, Nebraska is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public relations degrees to 262 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our public relations students whose families make $48-$75k list, UNL has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNL is $15,394 for public relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad 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%.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at University of Nebraska - Lincoln

12
UO crest
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

University of Oregon landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Eugene, Oregon, and it awarded 609 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

UO also took the #18 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Oregon is $16,014 for Public Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at UO

13

Iowa State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school handed out 135 degrees to qualified ’s public relations students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Iowa State is in the top on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $14,641 for Public Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Iowa State University.

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%. 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 Iowa State

14
Wazzu crest
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

Washington State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Pullman, Washington is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public relations degrees to 307 students in 2020-2021.

Wazzu also made our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $14,233 for Public Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Washington State University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Wazzu

15

University of South Florida - Main Campus came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. USF Tampa is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 188 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,669 for public relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend USF Tampa.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full USF Tampa Public Relations & Advertising Report

16
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

With a ranking of #16, University of Houston did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Houston is a large public school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 184 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UH is also in the top of our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” ranking. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend University of Houston is $13,382 for public relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Houston Public Relations & Advertising Report

17
NAU crest
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Flagstaff, Arizona, this large public school awarded 159 degrees to qualified ’s public relations students in 2020-2021.

NAU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” list. It costs about $14,142 for Public Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend NAU.

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%.

Full Northern Arizona University Public Relations & Advertising Report

18

University of Central Florida ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Central Florida is a public institution located in Orlando, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 110 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,426 for Public Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UCF.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national 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 University of Central Florida

19
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #19, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 178 degrees to qualified ’s public relations students in 2020-2021.

USC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” list. It costs about $22,826 for Public Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Southern California.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Southern California Public Relations & Advertising Report

20

Arizona State University - Tempe landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public relations degrees to 107 students in 2020-2021.

ASU - Tempe also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Arizona State University - Tempe is $15,561 for Public Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

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

21

Florida International University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Florida International University is located in Miami, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 276 ’s public relations degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for FIU is $7,292 for public relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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

22

The City College of New York landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. New York, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public relations degrees to 31 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend CCNY is $7,521 for Public Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 full report on Public Relations & Advertising at CCNY

23
UK crest
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

University of Kentucky came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Lexington, Kentucky, and it awarded 176 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UK also did well on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for University of Kentucky is $16,708 for Public Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, 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 more about Public Relations & Advertising at UK

24
Appalachian State crest
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k list. Appalachian State University is located in Boone, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 157 ’s public relations degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $13,769 for Public Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Appalachian State University.

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 full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Appalachian State

25
NKU crest
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Highland Heights, Kentucky, and it awarded 35 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,505 for public relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend NKU.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at NKU

Rest of the Best 39 in Best Value Public Relations Schools For Those Making $48-$75k

Not only did these schools make the top 39 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts
27
28
29
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas
30
Texas State crest
Texas State University
San Marcos, Texas
31
Murray State crest
Murray State University
Murray, Kentucky
32
33
U of I crest
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho
34
35
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California
36
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana
37
GWU crest
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia
38
WVU crest
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia
39
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

Notes and References

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