2023 Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor's Degree Schools
Finding the Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor's Degree 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 Bachelor's Degree Schools ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 245 schools in the United States to see which bachelor's degree programs offered the best educational experiences for students. Factors related to overall quality of the school, post-graduation earnings, average student debt, and more accumulated were considered when coming up with this list.
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 Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the United States
The following schools top our list of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor's Degree Colleges.
Top 25 Top Schools for a Bachelor's in Public Relations & Advertising
Our 2023 rankings named The University of Texas at Austin the best school in the United States for public relations and advertising students working on their bachelor’s degree. UT Austin is a very large public school located in the large city of Austin.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, public relations graduates from UT Austin carry an average student debtload of $21,049. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $253, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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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 working on their bachelor’s degree. UF is a very large public school located in the medium-sized city of Gainesville.
Public Relations majors at UF take out an average of $17,700 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. 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 Elon University is a great place for public relations and advertising students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the suburb of Elon, Elon is a private not-for-profit school with a moderately-sized student population.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Marquette University. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the city of Milwaukee, Marquette is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.
Public Relations majors at Marquette take out an average of $22,724 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $593, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Southern California. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
On average, public relations graduates from USC take out $18,506 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $494, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #6 on this year’s Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. UIUC is a fairly large public school located in the city of Champaign.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, public relations majors at UIUC accumulate an average of around $19,396 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $428, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Drake University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
On average, public relations graduates from Drake take out $19,993 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. 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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Syracuse University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for public relations and advertising students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #8 on the list. Syracuse is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Syracuse.
This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $588, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Southern Methodist University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. SMU is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Dallas.
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University of Florida-Online came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. Located in the city of Gainesville, UF Online is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, public relations majors at UF Online accumulate an average of around $17,700 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $234, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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University of Minnesota - Twin Cities ranked #11 on this year’s Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the large city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public school with a fairly large student population.
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Pepperdine University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for public relations and advertising students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #12 on the list. Located in the large suburb of Malibu, Pepperdine is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, public relations majors at Pepperdine accumulate an average of around $22,750 in student debt. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $511.
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree public relations and advertising programs. Located in the large city of Lincoln, UNL is a public school with a very large student population.
On average, public relations graduates from UNL take out $20,687 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $355.
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George Washington University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the large city of Washington, GWU is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
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American University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for public relations and advertising students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #15 on the list. The American University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Washington.
Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $742.
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With a ranking of #16, University of Colorado Boulder did quite well on this year’s best schools for public relations and advertising students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the medium-sized city of Boulder, CU - Boulder is a public college with a fairly large student population.
While working on their Bachelor's Degree, public relations majors at CU - Boulder accumulate an average of around $18,053 in student debt. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $619.
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Miami University - Oxford came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large public school located in the fringe town of Oxford.
The average amount in student loans that public relations majors at Miami University - Oxford take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $21,564. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $511.
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University of Georgia landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree public relations and advertising programs. Located in the city of Athens, UGA is a public school with a fairly large student population.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, public relations graduates from UGA carry an average student debtload of $21,880. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $274.
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Fairfield University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Fairfield U is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Fairfield.
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Michigan State University landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree public relations and advertising programs. Located in the small city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public school with a fairly large student population.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, public relations graduates from Michigan State carry an average student debtload of $24,007. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $511.
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San Jose State University landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree public relations and advertising programs. San Jose State is a very large public school located in the large city of San Jose.
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University of San Francisco landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree public relations and advertising programs. Located in the city of San Francisco, USFCA is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
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With a ranking of #23, Texas Christian University did quite well on this year’s best schools for public relations and advertising students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the city of Fort Worth, TCU is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
On average, public relations graduates from TCU take out $20,179 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $649, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Miami University - Hamilton ranked #24 on this year’s Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the suburb of Hamilton, Miami University - Hamilton is a public school with a small student population.
On average, public relations graduates from Miami University - Hamilton take out $21,564 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $511.
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Iowa State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for public relations and advertising students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #25 on the list. Iowa State is a fairly large public school located in the city of Ames.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, public relations graduates from Iowa State carry an average student debtload of $22,825. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $236.
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Honorable Mentions
Here are some additional great schools for Public Relations & Advertising students that almost earned our Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor's Degree Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 37 | Washington State University | Pullman, WA |
| 38 | Emerson College | Boston, MA |
| 39 | Simpson College | Indianola, IA |
| 40 | University of Oklahoma Norman Campus | Norman, OK |
| 41 | Baldwin Wallace University | Berea, OH |
| 42 | Xavier University | Cincinnati, OH |
| 43 | Appalachian State University | Boone, NC |
| 44 | Loyola University Chicago | Chicago, IL |
| 45 | University of Northern Iowa | Cedar Falls, IA |
| 46 | North Central College | Naperville, IL |
| 47 | Siena Heights University | Adrian, MI |
| 48 | Carthage College | Kenosha, WI |
| 49 | Illinois State University | Normal, IL |
Public Relations & Advertising by Region
View the Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor's Degree 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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