2023 Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor's Degree Schools in California
Finding the Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor's Degree School for You
In 2020-2021, 861 degrees and certificates were awarded to public relations and advertising students who went to a California college or university. This makes it the #99 most popular major in the state.
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.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor's Degree Schools in California to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 14 schools in California to see which ones offered the best bachelor's degree programs 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 California
The following schools top our list of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor's Degree Colleges.
Top 10 Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor's Degree Schools
Our 2023 rankings named University of Southern California the best school in California for public relations and advertising students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit school with a very 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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Out of the 14 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Pepperdine University landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the 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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The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at San Jose State University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best public relations and advertising schools in California. San Jose State is a fairly large public school located in the large city of San Jose.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of San Francisco. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in the large city of San Francisco, USFCA is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.
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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Chapman University is a great place for public relations and advertising students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the medium-sized city of Orange, Chapman is a private not-for-profit college with a medium-sized student population.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, public relations graduates from Chapman carry an average student debtload of $20,905. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $481.
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With a ranking of #6, Point Loma Nazarene University did quite well on this year’s best schools for public relations and advertising students working on their bachelor’s degree. PLNU is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of San Diego.
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Biola University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in the large suburb of La Mirada, Biola is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
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San Diego State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking. Located in the large city of San Diego, SDSU is a public college with a fairly large student population.
After completing their Bachelor's Degree, public relations graduates from SDSU carry an average student debtload of $17,825.
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Azusa Pacific 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 #9 on the list. Azusa Pacific is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Azusa.
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California State University - Long Beach landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree public relations and advertising programs. CSULB is a very large public school located in the city of Long Beach.
Request InformationBest Public Relations & Advertising Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Public Relations & Advertising Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Washington | 365 |
| Oregon | 659 |
More Public Relations & Advertising Rankings in California
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 14 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.