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2023 Most Popular Public Relations & Advertising Schools

586 Colleges
$38,287 Avg Salary
$23,973 Avg Student Debt

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.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Most Popular Public Relations & Advertising Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 586 schools in the United States to see which programs were the most popular for students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from the Public Relations & Advertising program at each school on the list.

The colleges and universities below are the most popular for public relations majors pursuing a .

Our analysis found Southern New Hampshire University to be the most popular school for public relations and advertising students who want to pursue a degree in the United States. Located in the medium-sized suburb of Manchester, SNHU is a private not-for-profit school with a very large student population.

On average, public relations graduates from SNHU take out $29,168 in student loans while working on their degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $221.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Southern New Hampshire University

The excellent programs at The University of Texas at Austin helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best public relations and advertising schools in the United States. UT Austin is a very 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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#3

University of Oregon

Eugene, OR

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Oregon. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Most Popular Public Relations & Advertising Schools list. Located in the medium-sized city of Eugene, UO is a public college with a very large student population.

After completing their degree, public relations graduates from UO carry an average student debt load of $22,672. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $708.

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Out of the 586 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Fashion Institute of Technology landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the city of New York, FIT SUNY is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

The average amount in student loans that public relations majors at FIT SUNY take out is $17,625. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $279.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Fashion Institute of Technology

#5

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Michigan State University is a great place for public relations and advertising students. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public college 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.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Michigan State University

#6

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX

With a ranking of #6, Texas Tech University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for public relations and advertising students. Texas Tech is a very large public school located in the city of Lubbock.

Public Relations majors at Texas Tech take out an average of $23,050 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $323.

Full Public Relations & Advertising at Texas Tech University Report

#7

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL

With a ranking of #7, University of Florida did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for public relations and advertising students. UF is a fairly large public school located in the midsize 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.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at University of Florida

With a ranking of #8, University of Colorado Boulder did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for public relations and advertising students. Located in the city of Boulder, CU - Boulder is a public school 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.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at University of Colorado Boulder

#9

University of Georgia

Athens, GA

With a ranking of #9, University of Georgia did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for public relations and advertising students. Located in the medium-sized city of Athens, UGA is a public college with a very large student population.

The average amount in student loans that public relations majors at UGA take out is $21,361. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $274.

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#10

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY

Syracuse University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Public Relations & Advertising Schools ranking. Syracuse is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Syracuse.

After completing their degree, public relations graduates from Syracuse carry an average student debt load of $27,000. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $588, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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#11

Temple University

Philadelphia, PA

Temple University landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular public relations and advertising programs. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, Temple is a public school with a very large student population.

After completing their degree, public relations graduates from Temple carry an average student debt load of $26,000. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $303.

Full Public Relations & Advertising at Temple University Report

#12

The University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa, AL

The University of Alabama landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular public relations and advertising programs. UA is a very large public school located in the city of Tuscaloosa.

Public Relations majors at UA take out an average of $25,000 in student loans while working on their egree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $934, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

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#13

Texas State University

San Marcos, TX

Texas State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular schools for public relations and advertising students. It came in at #13 on the list. Located in the city of San Marcos, Texas State is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Public Relations majors at Texas State take out an average of $21,954 in student loans while working on their egree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $244, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Texas State University

Washington State University landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular public relations and advertising programs. Wazzu is a fairly large public school located in the distant town of Pullman.

Public Relations majors at Wazzu take out an average of $21,900 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $326.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Washington State University

University of South Carolina - Columbia did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular schools for public relations and advertising students. It came in at #15 on the list. Located in the city of Columbia, UofSC is a public school with a fairly large student population.

Public Relations majors at UofSC take out an average of $25,000 in student loans while working on their egree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $402, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

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Florida International University landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular public relations and advertising programs. Located in the large suburb of Miami, FIU is a public college with a very large student population.

The average amount in student loans that public relations majors at FIU take out is $12,687.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Florida International University

University of Nebraska - Lincoln ranked #17 on this year’s Most Popular Public Relations & Advertising Schools list. Located in the large city of Lincoln, UNL is a public college with a very large student population.

The average amount in student loans that public relations majors at UNL take out is $21,750. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $355.

Full Public Relations & Advertising at University of Nebraska - Lincoln Report

#18

Rowan University

Glassboro, NJ

Rowan University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular schools for public relations and advertising students. It came in at #18 on the list. Located in the suburb of Glassboro, Rowan is a public college with a large student population.

The average amount in student loans that public relations majors at Rowan take out is $23,250. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $252, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Rowan University

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #19 on this year’s Most Popular Public Relations & Advertising Schools list. UIUC is a fairly large public school located in the small city of Champaign.

After completing their degree, public relations graduates from UIUC carry an average student debt load of $20,500. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $428, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#20

Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw, GA

With a ranking of #20, Kennesaw State University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for public relations and advertising students. KSU Georgia is a fairly large public school located in the large suburb of Kennesaw.

After completing their degree, public relations graduates from KSU Georgia carry an average student debt load of $25,000. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $391, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Public Relations & Advertising at Kennesaw State University Report

#21

DePaul University

Chicago, IL

DePaul University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Public Relations & Advertising Schools ranking. DePaul is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Chicago.

After completing their degree, public relations graduates from DePaul carry an average student debt load of $24,500. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $571, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Public Relations & Advertising at DePaul University Report

Grand Valley State University landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular public relations and advertising programs. GVSU is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Allendale.

Public Relations majors at GVSU take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $286, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read More…

University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular public relations and advertising programs. USF Tampa is a very large public school located in the large city of Tampa.

Full Public Relations & Advertising at University of South Florida - Main Campus Report

With a ranking of #24, Brigham Young University - Provo did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for public relations and advertising students. BYU is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Provo.

While working on their degree, public relations majors at BYU accumulate an average of around $11,974 in student debt.

Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Brigham Young University - Provo

#25

University of Houston

Houston, TX

With a ranking of #25, University of Houston did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for public relations and advertising students. Located in the city of Houston, UH is a public college with a very large student population.

On average, public relations graduates from UH take out $23,100 in student loans while working on their degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $230.

Read More…

#27

University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL
#27

University of Kentucky

Lexington, KY
#29

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, AZ
#29

Elon University

Elon, NC
#31

Georgetown University

Washington, DC
#33

Boston University

Boston, MA
#33

Pepperdine University

Malibu, CA
#35

Ithaca College

Ithaca, NY
#38

Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL
#42

American University

Washington, DC
#43

Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH
#45

Howard University

Washington, DC
#45

Quinnipiac University

Hamden, CT
#47

George Washington University

Washington, DC
#48

Ball State University

Muncie, IN

Additional Award Winners

This section represents the remainder of the colleges awarded a Most Popular Public Relations & Advertising Schools badge. Showing in this list means the school was ranked in the top 15% of the 586 different United States public relations and advertising schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
50 Arizona State University - Tempe Tempe, AZ
52 Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, KY
53 University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI
54 Texas Christian University Fort Worth, TX
54 Marquette University Milwaukee, WI
56 Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI
57 Full Sail University Winter Park, FL
58 California State University - Dominguez Hills Carson, CA
59 West Virginia University Morgantown, WV
60 University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH
61 Butler University Indianapolis, IN
61 Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Bloomsburg, PA
63 Illinois State University Normal, IL
63 St John’s University - New York Queens, NY
65 Pace University - New York New York, NY
66 Murray State University Murray, KY
67 The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX
67 The University of Tampa Tampa, FL
69 Arkansas State University - Main Campus Jonesboro, AR
70 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN
71 Suffolk University Boston, MA
72 San Jose State University San Jose, CA
73 Purdue University Global Indianapolis, IN
74 University of Akron Main Campus Akron, OH
75 Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI
76 University of Idaho Moscow, ID
76 Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO
78 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
79 Auburn University Auburn, AL
79 University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK
81 Bradley University Peoria, IL
81 Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO
83 Emerson College Boston, MA
83 Fort Hays State University Hays, KS
85 Hofstra University Hempstead, NY
86 University of Florida-Online Gainesville, FL
87 University of Wisconsin - River Falls River Falls, WI

Honorable Mentions

Here are some additional popular schools for Public Relations & Advertising students that almost earned our Most Popular Public Relations & Advertising Schools award.

Rank College Location
88 Central Connecticut State University New Britain, CT
89 Troy University Troy, AL
90 Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA
90 Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA
92 Chapman University Orange, CA
93 University of Vermont Burlington, VT
94 Bellevue University Bellevue, NE
94 Wayne State University Detroit, MI
96 Buffalo State Buffalo, NY
96 Drexel University Philadelphia, PA
98 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI
98 University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA
100 Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH
100 Drake University Des Moines, IA
100 Flagler College - St Augustine Saint Augustine, FL
103 Northwestern University Evanston, IL
103 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
105 San Diego State University San Diego, CA
106 SUNY Oswego Oswego, NY
106 Miami Ad School - Wynwood Miami, FL
108 Webster University Saint Louis, MO
108 California Baptist University Riverside, CA
110 Marist College Poughkeepsie, NY
110 University of Memphis Memphis, TN
112 University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras San Juan, PR
113 Rider University Lawrenceville, NJ
113 SUNY Fredonia Fredonia, NY
115 University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA
116 Loyola University New Orleans New Orleans, LA
117 University of Puerto Rico - Carolina Carolina, PR
117 University of North Texas Denton, TX

Public Relations & Advertising by Region

View the Most Popular 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

One of 5 majors within the area of study, public relations and advertising has other similar majors worth exploring.

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.

  • 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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