2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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” ranking looked at 266 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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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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” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Relations & Advertising
Out of the 266 schools in the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #1 spot on the 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.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree public relations students list, BYU has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend BYU is $13,322 for bachelor’s degree public relations students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, 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.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 57 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for UW - River Falls is $13,748 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.
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 more about Public Relations & Advertising at University of Wisconsin - River Falls
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s. Located in San Juan, , this fairly large public school awarded 37 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras is $11,714 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.
Out of the 266 schools in the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, South Dakota State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Brookings, South Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State is $19,252 for bachelor’s degree public relations students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at South Dakota State
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s. North Dakota State University - Main Campus is located in Fargo, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 44 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $16,584 for bachelor’s degree public relations students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at North Dakota State University
Southern New Hampshire University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Southern New Hampshire University is located in Manchester, New Hampshire and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 498 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Southern New Hampshire University is $41,095 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.
Full Southern New Hampshire University Public Relations & Advertising Report
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $16,020 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at UW - Eau Claire
Southeast Missouri State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Southeast Missouri State University is located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 58 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $12,774 for bachelor’s degree public relations students per year to attend Southeast Missouri State University.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Southeast Missouri State University
With a ranking of #9, Grand Valley State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Allendale, Michigan, and it awarded 152 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for GVSU is $17,646 for bachelor’s degree public relations students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #10. Oshkosh, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 20 students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend UW Oshkosh is $15,463 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.
With a ranking of #11, Western Michigan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Kalamazoo, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 104 students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Western Michigan University is $19,433 for bachelor’s degree public relations students.
Florida State University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Florida State is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 109 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, Florida State is in the top on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Florida State is $9,789 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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 full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Florida State University
University of Northern Iowa came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Cedar Falls, Iowa is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 33 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UNI is also in the top of our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend University of Northern Iowa is $15,620 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at University of Northern Iowa
Bellevue University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Bellevue University is a fairly large school located in Bellevue, Nebraska that handed out 9 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Bellevue University is $15,616 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.
Full Bellevue University Public Relations & Advertising Report
Iowa State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Iowa State University is a public institution located in Ames, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 130 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Iowa State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State is $15,496 for bachelor’s degree public relations students.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Iowa State University
Minnesota State University - Moorhead landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Moorhead, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Moorhead is $16,893 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Minnesota State University - Moorhead
With a ranking of #17, Texas Tech University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Texas Tech is a large school located in Lubbock, Texas that handed out 262 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on this list, Texas Tech is in the top on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend Texas Tech is $17,571 for bachelor’s degree public relations 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.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Texas Tech
Georgia Southern University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Georgia Southern University is a public institution located in Statesboro, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 87 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Georgia Southern University is $15,536 for bachelor’s degree public relations students.
Full Georgia Southern University Public Relations & Advertising Report
University of Florida did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #19. University of Florida is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 394 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
UF not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $6,302 for bachelor’s degree public relations students.
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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Florida Public Relations & Advertising Report
University of Houston did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #20. UH is a large public school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 154 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $12,838 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students per year to attend University of Houston.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Franklin University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Franklin University is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Franklin University is $12,895 for bachelor’s degree public relations students.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Franklin University
Illinois State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Illinois State University is a large school located in Normal, Illinois that handed out 80 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
Illinois State also claimed a top spot on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State University is $20,895 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Illinois State University
Kennesaw State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. KSU Georgia is located in Kennesaw, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 210 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Kennesaw State University is $17,221 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at KSU Georgia
Fashion Institute of Technology ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This medium-sized school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 282 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
FIT SUNY also took the #15 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for FIT SUNY is $10,523 for bachelor’s degree public relations students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Fashion Institute of Technology
Florida International University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s list. FIU is a public institution located in Miami, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 171 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $7,296 for Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students per year to attend FIU.
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 more about Public Relations & Advertising at Florida International University
Rest of the Best 40 in Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s
Not only did these schools make the top 40 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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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
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Bill Koplitz.
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