2023 Best Value Public Relations & Advertising Schools in California
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
Finding the Best Public Relations & Advertising 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.
The Best Value Public Relations & Advertising Schools in California ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 14 schools in California to see which programs offered the best value experiences for public relations students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
Featured Public Relations 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.
Top 10 Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools
Our 2023 rankings named San Jose State University the best value school in California for public relations and advertising students. San Jose State is a very large public school located in the city of San Jose.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at San Jose State are $7,852 per year.
San Jose State also claimed a spot on our Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools in California list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at San Jose State University
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means California State University - Long Beach is a great value for public relations and advertising students. CSULB is a very large public school located in the large city of Long Beach.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at CSULB are $6,846 a year.
Full Public Relations & Advertising at California State University - Long Beach Report
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Diego State University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Public Relations & Advertising Schools in California list. Located in the city of San Diego, SDSU is a public college with a very large student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SDSU are $8,136 per year. While working on their degree, public relations majors at SDSU accumulate an average of around $17,390 in student debt.
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Out of the 14 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Dominguez Hills landed the # 4 spot on the list. CSUDH is a fairly large public school located in the small city of Carson.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at CSUDH are $7,060 a year.
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Out of the 14 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, National University landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the large city of La Jolla, National University is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at National University are $13,320 per year.
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With a ranking of #6, California Baptist University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for public relations and advertising students. Cal Baptist is a large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Riverside.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Cal Baptist are $37,018 per year. While working on their degree, public relations majors at Cal Baptist accumulate an average of around $26,125 in student debt.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at California Baptist University
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Point Loma Nazarene University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations & Advertising Schools in California ranking. PLNU is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of San Diego.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at PLNU are $39,500 a year.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Point Loma Nazarene University
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University of San Francisco came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations & Advertising Schools in California ranking. Located in the city of San Francisco, USFCA is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at USFCA are $53,472 per year. After completing their degree, public relations graduates from USFCA carry an average student debtload of $25,990.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, USFCA also is in the top 15% of our Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools in California ranking.
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Biola University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations & Advertising Schools in California ranking. Located in the suburb of La Mirada, Biola is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
Biola undergraduate students pay an average of $44,382 in in-state tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, public relations graduates from Biola carry an average student debtload of $19,500.
Full Public Relations & Advertising at Biola University Report
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Pepperdine University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations & Advertising Schools in California list. Located in the suburb of Malibu, Pepperdine is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.
Pepperdine undergraduate students pay an average of $59,702 in in-state tuition and fees each year. 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.
Request InformationBest Value Public Relations & Advertising Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Value 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
Other Related Public Relations 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.
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.
- 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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