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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Relations & Advertising

426 Ranked Colleges
17,097 Degrees Awarded
$36,703 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Public Relations Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 17,097 public relations and advertising graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major” ranking analyzed 426 colleges that offered a degree in public relations and advertising. That schools that top this list have a program in public relations and advertising in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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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 “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major”.

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.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree public relations students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Relations & Advertising

1
Webber International University crest
Webber International University
Babson Park, Florida

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Webber International University. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major. Babson Park, Florida is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 18 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Webber International University

2
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University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Oregon. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major. UO is a large public school situated in Eugene, Oregon. It awarded 575 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

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 University of Oregon

3
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Ithaca College
Ithaca, New York

Out of the 426 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Ithaca College landed the #3 spot on the list. Ithaca is a medium-sized school located in Ithaca, New York that handed out 147 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.

Full Ithaca College Public Relations & Advertising Report

4
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Elon University
Elon, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Elon University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. Elon, North Carolina is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 159 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Elon Public Relations & Advertising Report

5
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University of Florida-Online
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida-Online. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this medium-sized public school handed out 66 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UF Online Public Relations & Advertising Report

6

Fashion Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major ranking, coming in at #6. Fashion Institute of Technology is a medium-sized public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 280 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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

7
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Franklin College
Franklin, Indiana

Franklin College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major ranking. This small school is located in Franklin, Indiana, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Franklin College Public Relations & Advertising Report

8

Great Lakes Christian College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Lansing, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Great Lakes Christian College

9
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Flagler College - St Augustine
Saint Augustine, Florida

With a ranking of #9, Flagler College - St Augustine did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. Flagler College - St Augustine is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Augustine, Florida. The school has a small population, and it awarded 55 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Flagler St. Augustine

10

Universidad del Sagrado Corazon did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major ranking, coming in at #10. Sagrado is a small school located in Santurce, that handed out 53 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad 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%.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Sagrado

11

With a ranking of #11, University of Puerto Rico - Carolina did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. This small school is located in Carolina, , and it awarded 39 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at University of Puerto Rico - Carolina

12
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Butler University
Indianapolis, Indiana

Butler University ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. Butler University is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 91 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Butler University Public Relations & Advertising Report

13
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College of the Ozarks
Point Lookout, Missouri

With a ranking of #13, College of the Ozarks did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. College of the Ozarks is a private not-for-profit institution located in Point Lookout, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at College of the Ozarks

14
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Howard University
Washington, District of Columbia

Howard University ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. Located in Washington, District of Columbia, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 115 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Howard University

15
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Pepperdine University
Malibu, California

Pepperdine University ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. This fairly large school is located in Malibu, California, and it awarded 148 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Pepperdine Public Relations & Advertising Report

16
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Freed-Hardeman University
Henderson, Tennessee

With a ranking of #16, Freed-Hardeman University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. FHU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Henderson, Tennessee. It awarded 21 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

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

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Freed-Hardeman University

17
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Susquehanna University
Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania

Susquehanna University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. Susquehanna University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. It awarded 25 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Susquehanna Public Relations & Advertising Report

18
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Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school handed out 91 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2020-2021.

Full Bloomsburg Public Relations & Advertising Report

19
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Otterbein University
Westerville, Ohio

With a ranking of #19, Otterbein University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. Otterbein University is a small school located in Westerville, Ohio that handed out 32 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

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

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Otterbein

20
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Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major ranking, coming in at #20. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 565 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Full Michigan State Public Relations & Advertising Report

21
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Bradley University
Peoria, Illinois

Bradley University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. Peoria, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 69 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Bradley University Public Relations & Advertising Report

22

University of Wisconsin - River Falls ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. UW - River Falls is a public institution located in River Falls, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 64 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at University of Wisconsin - River Falls

23
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Hampton University
Hampton, Virginia

Hampton University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major ranking. Hampton, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 35 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Hampton

24
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SUNY Fredonia
Fredonia, New York

SUNY Fredonia ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. Located in Fredonia, New York, this small public school handed out 44 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at SUNY Fredonia

25
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Florida Southern College
Lakeland, Florida

Florida Southern College ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major list. Located in Lakeland, Florida, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 37 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Florida Southern College

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
28
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Drake University
Des Moines, Iowa
29
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Loyola University New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
30
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Texas State University
San Marcos, Texas
31
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Emerson College
Boston, Massachusetts
32
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Washington State University
Pullman, Washington
33
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Rowan University
Glassboro, New Jersey
34
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The University of Tampa
Tampa, Florida
35
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Suffolk University
Boston, Massachusetts
36
37
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Grand Valley State University
Allendale, Michigan
38
39
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Mississippi Valley State University
Itta Bena, Mississippi
40
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Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, Texas
41
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Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas
42
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The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
43
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Murray State University
Murray, Kentucky
44
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Loras College
Dubuque, Iowa
45
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Florida Memorial University
Miami Gardens, Florida
46
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Culver - Stockton College
Canton, Missouri
47
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Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
48
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Drury University
Springfield, Missouri
49
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Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina
50
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DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Public Relations Major

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO
52 Cleveland State University Cleveland, OH
53 University of Portland Portland, OR
54 Marquette University Milwaukee, WI
55 Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA
56 University of Idaho Moscow, ID
57 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL
58 William Peace University Raleigh, NC
59 Lee University Cleveland, TN
60 Midway University Midway, KY
61 Syracuse University Syracuse, NY
62 University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC
63 Dalton State College Dalton, GA
64 Hastings College Hastings, NE

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Notes and References

References

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