2023 Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools
Finding the Best Public Relations & Advertising School for You
Public Relations & Advertising is the #52 most popular major in the country with 21,099 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
The Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 312 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
Featured Public Relations & Advertising Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BA in Communication - Public Relations
Prepare to develop your skills in building mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their public audiences.
MA in Communication - Public Relations
Learn how to use the latest technology and tactics to manage the flow of information between brands and the public with your Master's in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations at Southern New Hampshire University.
MA in Communication - New Media & Marketing
Keep your skills and knowledge at the forefront of new media technologies with this specialized online master's from Southern New Hampshire University.
2023 Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools in the United States
Check out the public relations programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 25 Top Schools in Public Relations & Advertising
Our 2023 rankings named Georgetown University the best school in the United States for public relations and advertising students. Located in the city of Washington, Georgetown is a private not-for-profit school with a very large student population.
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means University of Florida is a great place for public relations and advertising students. UF is a very large public school located in the city of Gainesville.
While working on their degree, public relations majors at UF accumulate an average of around $17,500 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $234, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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A rank of #3 on this year’s list means The University of Texas at Austin is a great place for public relations and advertising students. UT Austin is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Austin.
On average, public relations graduates from UT Austin take out $22,115 in student loans while working on their degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $253, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Out of the 312 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the # 4 spot on the list. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Evanston.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Elon University. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools list. Located in the midsize suburb of Elon, Elon is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
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Marquette University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools ranking. Located in the city of Milwaukee, Marquette is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
On average, public relations graduates from Marquette take out $25,000 in student loans while working on their degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $593, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Villanova University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for public relations and advertising students. It came in at #7 on the list. Villanova is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Villanova.
Full Public Relations & Advertising at Villanova University Report
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools ranking. UIUC is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign.
On average, public relations graduates from UIUC take out $20,500 in student loans while working on their degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $428, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Public Relations & Advertising at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Report
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Drake University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools list. Located in the medium-sized city of Des Moines, Drake is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
While working on their degree, public relations majors at Drake accumulate an average of around $21,500 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $353, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for public relations and advertising students. It came in at #10 on the list. Located in the city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public college with a very large student population.
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University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for public relations and advertising students. It came in at #11 on the list. UW - Madison is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Madison.
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools ranking. Located in the city of Lincoln, UNL is a public school with a very large student population.
Public Relations majors at UNL take out an average of $21,750 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $355.
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University of Dayton did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for public relations and advertising students. It came in at #13 on the list. UDayton is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Dayton.
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University of Florida-Online landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best public relations and advertising programs. Located in the midsize city of Gainesville, UF Online is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
While working on their degree, public relations majors at UF Online accumulate an average of around $17,500 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $234, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #15, Southern Methodist University did quite well on this year’s best schools for public relations and advertising students. SMU is a large private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Dallas.
On average, public relations graduates from SMU take out $21,500 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Pepperdine University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools ranking. Located in the suburb of Malibu, Pepperdine is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.
While working on their degree, public relations majors at Pepperdine accumulate an average of around $26,000 in student debt. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $511.
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With a ranking of #17, University of Colorado Boulder did quite well on this year’s best schools for public relations and advertising students. Located in the city of Boulder, CU - Boulder is a public college with a very large student population.
Public Relations majors at CU - Boulder take out an average of $19,500 in student loans while working on their egree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $619.
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Miami University - Oxford did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for public relations and advertising students. It came in at #18 on the list. Miami University - Oxford is a large public school located in the fringe town of Oxford.
Public Relations majors at Miami University - Oxford take out an average of $24,000 in student loans while working on their egree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $511.
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Illinois Media School landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best public relations and advertising programs. Located in the suburb of Lombard, Illinois Media School is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
The average amount in student loans that public relations majors at Illinois Media School take out is $15,833.
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George Washington University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools ranking. Located in the city of Washington, GWU is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
On average, public relations graduates from GWU take out $20,375 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Fairfield University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools ranking. Fairfield U is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Fairfield.
Full Public Relations & Advertising at Fairfield University Report
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San Jose State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools ranking. San Jose State is a very large public school located in the city of San Jose.
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University of Southern California came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools ranking. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
Public Relations majors at USC take out an average of $19,500 in student loans while working on their egree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $494, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Public Relations & Advertising at University of Southern California Report
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Syracuse University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools list. Syracuse is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Syracuse.
Public Relations majors at Syracuse take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $588, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #25, Michigan State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for public relations and advertising students. Located in the small city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public school with a very large student population.
The average amount in student loans that public relations majors at Michigan State take out is $25,122. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $511.
Full Public Relations & Advertising at Michigan State University Report
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Honorable Mentions
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 47 | Washington State University | Pullman, WA |
| 48 | Simpson College | Indianola, IA |
| 49 | Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, NY |
| 50 | University of Oklahoma Norman Campus | Norman, OK |
| 51 | Baldwin Wallace University | Berea, OH |
| 52 | Xavier University | Cincinnati, OH |
| 53 | Appalachian State University | Boone, NC |
| 54 | Loyola University Chicago | Chicago, IL |
| 55 | North Central College | Naperville, IL |
| 56 | Siena Heights University | Adrian, MI |
| 57 | University of Northern Iowa | Cedar Falls, IA |
| 58 | Carthage College | Kenosha, WI |
| 59 | Illinois State University | Normal, IL |
| 60 | Bradley University | Peoria, IL |
| 61 | School of Visual Arts | New York, NY |
| 62 | The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL |
Public Relations & Advertising by Region
View the Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
More Public Relations & Advertising Rankings
Rankings in Majors Related to Public Relations
One of 5 majors within the area of study, public relations and advertising has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Communication & Media Studies | 66,787 |
| Radio, Television & Digital Communication | 17,669 |
| Journalism | 13,552 |
| Communication & Journalism (Other) | 1,128 |
| Publishing | 336 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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 the rest 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Bill Koplitz.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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