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2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region

30 Ranked Colleges
1,010 Degrees Awarded
$17,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 20,229 people earned their degree in public relations and advertising, making the major the 53rd most popular in the United States. 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.

Across the Plains States region, there were 1,163 public relations and advertising graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,021 and $24,914 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,010 public relations and advertising graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking analyzed 30 colleges that offered a degree in public relations and advertising. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality public relations and advertising programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the public relations and advertising program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region”.

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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Relations & Advertising in the Plains States Region

#1

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend South Dakota State University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. South Dakota State University is located in Brookings, South Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.

South Dakota State also took the #7 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State is $19,252 for plains states region 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 full report on Public Relations & Advertising at South Dakota State

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. 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.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations students list, North Dakota State University has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $16,584 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at North Dakota State University

#3

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southeast Missouri State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. 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.

Southeast Missouri State University also took the #9 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Southeast Missouri State University is $12,774 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.

Full Southeast Missouri State University Public Relations & Advertising Report

#4

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Northern Iowa landed the #4 spot on the list. UNI is a medium-sized school located in Cedar Falls, Iowa that handed out 33 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

UNI also made our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for University of Northern Iowa is $15,620 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 University of Northern Iowa

#5

Bellevue University

Bellevue, Nebraska
#21 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bellevue University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. Located in Bellevue, Nebraska, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 9 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bellevue University, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,616 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations students per year to attend Bellevue University.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Bellevue University

With a ranking of #6, Iowa State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. 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 did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State is $15,496 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full Iowa State University Public Relations & Advertising Report

Minnesota State University - Moorhead came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. MSU Moorhead is a medium-sized school located in Moorhead, Minnesota that handed out 16 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

MSU Moorhead not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Minnesota State University - Moorhead is $16,893 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations students.

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%.

Full Minnesota State University - Moorhead Public Relations & Advertising Report

#8

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Warrensburg, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCM, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCM is $13,677 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.

Full University of Central Missouri Public Relations & Advertising Report

Missouri State University - Springfield came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Springfield, Missouri, this large public school awarded 54 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2019-2020.

Missouri State also made our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend Missouri State is $16,725 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.

Full Missouri State Public Relations & Advertising Report

University of Nebraska - Lincoln ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is a public institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The school has a large population, and it awarded 221 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNL, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $17,208 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students per year to attend UNL.

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

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

#11

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, Missouri

Lindenwood University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Lindenwood University is located in Saint Charles, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 33 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.

Lindenwood University also made our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $17,491 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students per year to attend Lindenwood University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Lindenwood University

#12

Black Hills State University

Spearfish, South Dakota

Black Hills State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12. Black Hills State University is a public institution located in Spearfish, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $16,641 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students per year to attend BHSU.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at BHSU

Northwest Missouri State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Maryville, Missouri, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Northwest Missouri State University is $12,354 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Northwest

#14

Concordia University, Saint Paul

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#15 in overall quality

Concordia University, Saint Paul ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Concordia University, Saint Paul is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations students list, Concordia University, Saint Paul has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,245 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations students per year to attend Concordia University, Saint Paul.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Concordia University, Saint Paul

#15

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#24 in overall quality

Metropolitan State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #15. Metro State is a public institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Metro State also took the #24 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Metro State is $15,225 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations students.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Metro State

#16

Missouri Western State University

Saint Joseph, Missouri

Missouri Western State University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Missouri Western is a public institution located in Saint Joseph, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Missouri Western is $10,958 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations students.

Full Missouri Western Public Relations & Advertising Report

#17

Evangel University

Springfield, Missouri

Evangel University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Springfield, Missouri, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 7 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Evangel, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $22,837 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students per year to attend Evangel.

The low student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 & Advertising at Evangel

#18

Loras College

Dubuque, Iowa

Loras College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Dubuque, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 12 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2019-2020.

Loras also took the #5 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Loras College is $20,676 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Loras Public Relations & Advertising Report

#19

Avila University

Kansas City, Missouri

Avila University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This small school is located in Kansas City, Missouri, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Avila University is $17,048 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Avila

#20

Hannibal - LaGrange University

Hannibal, Missouri
#25 in overall quality

Hannibal - LaGrange University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Hannibal, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations students list, HLGU has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $20,256 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations students per year to attend HLGU.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Hannibal - LaGrange University Public Relations & Advertising Report

#21

Webster University

Saint Louis, Missouri

With a ranking of #21, Webster University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 24 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations students list, Webster has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $22,768 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students per year to attend Webster University.

The low student loan default rate of 4.9% 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 Webster Public Relations & Advertising Report

#22

University of Northwestern - St Paul

Saint Paul, Minnesota

University of Northwestern - St Paul landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $21,871 for Plains States Region 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%.

Full Northwestern Public Relations & Advertising Report

#23

Drury University

Springfield, Missouri

Drury University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. This small school is located in Springfield, Missouri, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations students list, Drury University has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $18,419 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students per year to attend Drury University.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Drury University

#24

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, Iowa
#18 in overall quality

Saint Ambrose University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This small school is located in Davenport, Iowa, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Ambrose University also took the #18 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend St. Ambrose University is $26,204 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public relations students.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Saint Ambrose University

#25

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Lincoln, Nebraska
#13 in overall quality

Nebraska Wesleyan University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This small school is located in Lincoln, Nebraska, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.

NWU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for NWU is $23,847 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students.

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 NWU

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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.

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