College Rankings

Best Public Relations & Advertising Schools

The top 25 of 187 U.S. colleges offering an undergraduate Public Relations & Advertising degree, ranked by early-career earnings and return on investment — using each school's real, aid-adjusted net price rather than sticker tuition.

Is Public Relations & Advertising worth it?

A degree in PR and advertising is a highly valuable launchpad, provided you don't overpay for the parchment. This is an industry that hires based on portfolios, internship experience, and sheer hustle—not Ivy League pedigree. The payoff story here is remarkably clear: the greatest value lies in low-cost public universities and their regional or online campuses. If you can master media relations and campaign strategy without taking on massive debt, you are positioned for a lucrative career in corporate communications, tech, or agency work. The catch? The entry-level agency grind can be notoriously low-paying, meaning those who graduate with massive private-school debt will feel the financial squeeze long before they reach comfortable director-level salaries.

Filter by state

#	School	State	Score	Median earnings	Net price / yr	10-yr net ROI
1	Miami University-Hamilton	OH	71	$50,700	$11,286†	+$462K
2	Miami University-Middletown	OH	71	$50,700	$10,809†	+$464K
3	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	IL	68	$48,063	$14,355†	+$423K
4	Brigham Young University	UT	67	$51,436	$15,564	+$452K
5	University of Florida-Online	FL	67	$42,099	$4,815†	+$402K
6	Pennsylvania State University-World Campus	PA	66	$50,587	$19,550†	+$428K
7	University of Georgia	GA	66	$45,326	$13,936†	+$398K
8	University of Florida	FL	66	$42,099	$6,541†	+$395K
9	The University of Texas at Austin	TX	65	$47,972	$19,857†	+$400K
10	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine	PA	64	$50,587	$22,585†	+$416K
11	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg	PA	63	$50,587	$23,330†	+$413K
12	San Diego State University	CA	63	$44,197	$15,364†	+$381K
13	Johnson & Wales University-Online	RI	62	$49,033	$20,252	+$409K
14	Miami University-Oxford	OH	61	$50,700	$28,384†	+$393K
15	Michigan State University	MI	61	$45,158	$19,680†	+$373K
16	American University	DC	60	$50,026	$41,943	+$332K
17	North Central College	IL	60	$48,549	$21,044	+$401K
18	Syracuse University	NY	59	$54,934	$38,793	+$394K
19	University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus	OK	59	$45,759	$15,300†	+$396K
20	Northern Kentucky University	KY	59	$41,842	$8,191†	+$386K
21	Assumption University	MA	58	$51,114	$29,498	+$393K
22	Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus	PA	58	$50,587	$32,875†	+$374K
23	University of Rhode Island	RI	58	$42,181	$21,440†	+$336K
24	Wayne State University	MI	58	$41,306	$12,766†	+$362K
25	Florida State University	FL	58	$41,060	$11,297†	+$365K
26	Southeast Missouri State University	MO	58	$40,127	$15,882†	+$338K
27	Texas Christian University	TX	57	$48,053	$36,660	+$334K
28	University of Houston	TX	57	$42,472	$14,276†	+$368K
29	California State University-Dominguez Hills	CA	57	$38,798	$8,615†	+$354K
30	Johnson & Wales University-Providence	RI	56	$49,033	$31,027	+$366K
31	Drake University	IA	56	$44,492	$29,127	+$328K
32	Illinois State University	IL	56	$43,874	$19,398†	+$361K
33	University of Northern Iowa	IA	56	$43,755	$15,901†	+$374K
34	Iowa State University	IA	56	$42,530	$18,589†	+$351K
35	University of Oregon	OR	56	$42,159	$22,182†	+$333K
36	The University of Texas at Arlington	TX	56	$41,703	$13,951†	+$361K
37	Southern Methodist University	TX	55	$51,828	$40,892	+$355K
38	University of Southern California	CA	55	$50,041	$32,740	+$369K
39	University of Kentucky	KY	55	$45,275	$18,851†	+$377K
40	The University of Tennessee-Knoxville	TN	55	$42,173	$18,976†	+$346K
41	Ferris State University	MI	55	$38,375	$8,624†	+$349K
42	University of Central Florida	FL	55	$37,388	$10,411†	+$332K
43	University of South Carolina-Columbia	SC	54	$42,974	$22,811†	+$338K
44	University of Nebraska-Lincoln	NE	54	$42,168	$17,747†	+$351K
45	Missouri State University-Springfield	MO	54	$40,178	$17,613†	+$331K
46	Coe College	IA	54	$40,167	$18,745	+$327K
47	University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh	WI	53	$46,039	$14,305†	+$403K
48	The University of Alabama	AL	53	$42,445	$22,420†	+$335K
49	Eastern Michigan University	MI	53	$41,420	$15,407†	+$353K
50	University of Akron Main Campus	OH	53	$41,396	$13,946†	+$358K
51	Central Michigan University	MI	53	$40,346	$17,597†	+$333K
52	North Dakota State University-Main Campus	ND	53	$39,223	$15,543†	+$330K
53	Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global	IN	52	$48,225	$16,898	+$415K
54	Washington State University	WA	52	$45,820	$14,971†	+$398K
55	Pace University	NY	52	$44,485	$30,892	+$321K
56	University of Miami	FL	52	$43,917	$37,244	+$290K
57	Texas State University	TX	52	$40,411	$16,805†	+$337K
58	Oakland University	MI	52	$40,299	$9,120†	+$367K
59	Northwest University	WA	51	$45,209	$22,288	+$363K
60	Texas Tech University	TX	51	$41,023	$19,070†	+$334K
61	State University of New York at Plattsburgh	NY	51	$40,143	$17,156†	+$333K
62	Western Michigan University	MI	51	$37,718	$15,273†	+$316K
63	Fashion Institute of Technology	NY	51	$36,849	$19,095†	+$292K
64	National University	CA	50	$50,070	$22,878	+$409K
65	Quinnipiac University	CT	50	$43,591	$40,675	+$273K
66	Hofstra University	NY	50	$42,030	$34,176	+$284K
67	Central Washington University	WA	50	$40,976	$18,476†	+$336K
68	Kent State University at Kent	OH	50	$40,867	$20,787†	+$326K
69	Wingate University	NC	50	$40,438	$20,748	+$321K
70	Ball State University	IN	50	$38,020	$14,940†	+$320K
71	Otterbein University	OH	50	$37,430	$19,237	+$297K
72	State University of New York at Oswego	NY	50	$37,203	$16,236†	+$307K
73	Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion	IN	49	$48,225	$22,866	+$391K
74	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus	OH	49	$42,296	$24,022†	+$327K
75	DePaul University	IL	49	$41,234	$30,902	+$289K
76	Loras College	IA	49	$40,938	$20,716	+$327K
77	Arkansas State University	AR	49	$40,812	$12,366†	+$359K
78	Rider University	NJ	49	$38,600	$24,792	+$287K
79	Grand Valley State University	MI	49	$38,172	$16,317†	+$316K
80	Murray State University	KY	49	$38,054	$9,096†	+$344K
81	University of San Francisco	CA	49	$37,856	$41,431	+$213K
82	Northern Arizona University	AZ	49	$36,920	$14,158†	+$313K
83	Endicott College	MA	48	$47,903	$40,654	+$316K
84	Pepperdine University	CA	48	$45,988	$58,098	+$227K
85	Loyola University Chicago	IL	48	$43,308	$36,079	+$289K
86	Northwood University	MI	48	$41,857	$27,232	+$310K
87	Temple University	PA	48	$41,165	$28,198†	+$299K
88	Siena Heights University	MI	48	$39,677	$17,124	+$328K
89	Minnesota State University Moorhead	MN	48	$39,198	$17,997†	+$320K
90	Cleveland State University	OH	48	$38,027	$14,764†	+$321K
91	York College of Pennsylvania	PA	48	$36,557	$18,556	+$291K
92	Georgia Southern University	GA	48	$35,649	$15,267†	+$295K
93	University of Southern Indiana	IN	48	$34,736	$12,923†	+$296K
94	Kennesaw State University	GA	47	$41,460	$15,048†	+$354K
95	Winthrop University	SC	47	$40,487	$15,343†	+$343K
96	University of Memphis	TN	47	$39,819	$12,397†	+$349K
97	Gonzaga University	WA	47	$39,013	$35,119	+$250K
98	Western Kentucky University	KY	47	$35,534	$10,990†	+$311K
99	Marquette University	WI	46	$40,583	$31,487	+$280K
100	Chapman University	CA	46	$40,141	$46,555	+$215K
101	University of Central Missouri	MO	46	$39,401	$14,462†	+$336K
102	Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania	PA	46	$38,488	$15,699†	+$322K
103	Appalachian State University	NC	46	$36,559	$16,836†	+$298K
104	Capital University	OH	45	$45,235	$22,576	+$362K
105	Clemson University	SC	45	$43,318	$22,253†	+$344K
106	Wilmington University	DE	45	$40,408	$15,644	+$342K
107	Ithaca College	NY	45	$39,446	$33,926	+$259K
108	Eastern Illinois University	IL	45	$38,369	$12,786†	+$333K
109	St. John's University-New York	NY	45	$38,210	$29,999	+$262K
110	University of Idaho	ID	45	$38,136	$14,831†	+$322K
111	University of Vermont	VT	45	$35,931	$19,343†	+$282K
112	Eastern Kentucky University	KY	45	$34,920	$11,040†	+$305K
113	Northern Michigan University	MI	45	$34,319	$14,085†	+$287K
114	Southern New Hampshire University	NH	44	$46,520	$36,708	+$318K
115	Franklin University	OH	44	$46,518	$25,243	+$364K
116	Roger Williams University	RI	44	$45,269	$37,999	+$301K
117	Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education	WA	44	$45,209	$35,671	+$309K
118	Suffolk University	MA	44	$44,863	$29,618	+$330K
119	Xavier University	OH	44	$41,958	$32,997	+$288K
120	Auburn University	AL	44	$41,458	$24,323†	+$317K
121	South Dakota State University	SD	44	$39,795	$19,841†	+$319K
122	Bradley University	IL	44	$38,351	$22,719	+$293K
123	The University of Tampa	FL	44	$36,977	$36,211	+$225K
124	The University of Texas at El Paso	TX	44	$33,280	$9,403†	+$295K
125	University of Colorado Boulder	CO	43	$42,218	$25,346†	+$321K
126	Simpson College	IA	43	$41,925	$21,936	+$332K
127	University of Northwestern-St Paul	MN	43	$41,278	$27,705	+$302K
128	Columbia College Chicago	IL	43	$39,794	$26,598	+$292K
129	Montana State University Billings	MT	43	$39,666	$16,524†	+$331K
130	Oklahoma State University-Main Campus	OK	43	$34,752	$17,447†	+$278K
131	Florida International University	FL	43	$34,435	$9,288†	+$307K
132	Dalton State College	GA	43	$29,594	$5,012†	+$276K
133	Meredith College	NC	42	$40,762	$22,488	+$318K
134	University of North Carolina at Charlotte	NC	42	$38,190	$15,435†	+$320K
135	University of Portland	OR	42	$35,605	$28,210	+$243K
136	University of South Florida	FL	42	$34,105	$9,812†	+$302K
137	Webster University	MO	41	$42,421	$27,047	+$316K
138	Marymount Manhattan College	NY	41	$41,696	$36,861	+$270K
139	University of Scranton	PA	41	$35,568	$32,568	+$225K
140	Rowan University	NJ	41	$35,116	$22,408†	+$262K
141	Seton Hall University	NJ	40	$40,602	$31,446	+$280K
142	Rochester Institute of Technology	NY	40	$36,664	$34,906	+$227K
143	University of Central Oklahoma	OK	40	$36,388	$18,309†	+$291K
144	University of Central Arkansas	AR	40	$35,177	$16,511†	+$286K
145	SUNY at Fredonia	NY	40	$33,126	$15,897†	+$268K
146	Duquesne University	PA	39	$39,651	$37,730	+$246K
147	Butler University	IN	38	$39,701	$36,041	+$253K
148	Howard University	DC	38	$39,120	$50,539	+$189K
149	Dallas Baptist University	TX	38	$38,613	$28,516	+$272K
150	Grand Canyon University	AZ	38	$37,307	$22,472	+$283K
151	Baldwin Wallace University	OH	38	$36,620	$27,603	+$256K
152	Evangel University	MO	38	$36,585	$18,669	+$291K
153	Florida Southern College	FL	38	$35,023	$28,551	+$236K
154	Franklin College	IN	37	$36,964	$22,855	+$278K
155	Loyola University New Orleans	LA	37	$36,004	$23,696	+$265K
156	Central Connecticut State University	CT	37	$35,444	$16,857†	+$287K
157	Point Park University	PA	37	$32,495	$25,942	+$221K
158	Drexel University	PA	36	$37,125	$38,509	+$217K
159	George Fox University	OR	36	$37,012	$31,679	+$243K
160	Susquehanna University	PA	36	$36,632	$28,819	+$251K
161	West Texas A & M University	TX	36	$35,658	$19,487†	+$279K
162	Morehead State University	KY	36	$27,737	$9,793†	+$238K
163	Biola University	CA	35	$36,319	$31,495	+$237K
164	University of Louisiana at Lafayette	LA	35	$34,434	$13,530†	+$290K
165	Harding University	AR	35	$33,577	$22,130	+$247K
166	Utah State University	UT	34	$32,741	$14,936†	+$268K
167	Metropolitan State University of Denver	CO	34	$32,601	$15,327†	+$265K
168	Drury University	MO	33	$33,862	$20,831	+$255K
169	Ashland University	OH	33	$29,437	$21,988	+$206K
170	California State University-Long Beach	CA	33	$28,226	$10,440†	+$240K
171	Lee University	TN	32	$33,162	$18,878	+$256K
172	Arizona State University Campus Immersion	AZ	32	$31,093	$14,967†	+$251K
173	Morgan State University	MD	32	$28,091	$14,985†	+$221K
174	Tulane University of Louisiana	LA	31	$32,879	$39,949	+$169K
175	Flagler College	FL	31	$32,713	$30,525	+$205K
176	Campbell University	NC	30	$31,953	$24,516	+$221K
177	Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University	FL	30	$28,516	$13,739†	+$230K
178	Youngstown State University	OH	30	$27,068	$12,767†	+$220K
179	California Baptist University	CA	29	$32,782	$26,285	+$223K
180	Husson University	ME	29	$32,714	$21,005	+$243K
181	Lindenwood University	MO	29	$32,000	$19,638	+$241K
182	Anderson University	SC	28	$29,215	$23,544	+$198K
183	Emerson College	MA	27	$28,606	$49,180	+$89K
184	Benedict College	SC	27	$26,891	$18,250	+$196K
185	Lewis University	IL	27	$24,202	$17,028	+$174K
186	Manhattan University	NY	26	$26,502	$27,256	+$156K
187	Universidad del Sagrado Corazon	PR	24	$13,085	$12,924	+$79K

Top 10 programs by 10-year net ROI

How to read this: Median earnings = typical pay one year after graduation. Net price = average annual cost after grant aid, incl. living costs — not sticker tuition. 10-yr net ROI = ten years of earnings minus four years of net price. Score = the CollegeRanked Score (0–100) that sets the order — it blends ROI with longer-run earnings, job demand and automation resilience, so a school can outrank one with a slightly higher 10-yr ROI. † = public university — net price shown is the in-state cost; out-of-state students pay more. See the full methodology.

Why these schools rank where they do

The top of this list is a masterclass in educational arbitrage, dominated by regional and online campuses of major state universities. Miami University-Hamilton takes the #1 spot—edging out its own main campus at Oxford (#14)—because it offers the exact same respected degree at a fraction of the tuition, while maintaining direct access to the massive Cincinnati consumer marketing hub, home to branding giants like Procter & Gamble.

The most striking takeaway is how little prestige matters to the bottom line when compared to cost. Syracuse University’s Newhouse School is arguably the most famous communications college in the country, yet it lands at #18. Its graduates do incredibly well and dominate New York media, but the steep private tuition drags down its overall value compared to powerhouse public programs like the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (#3) or The University of Texas at Austin (#9). Furthermore, the dominance of online and branch campuses—like the University of Florida-Online (#5) and Penn State World Campus (#6)—proves that modern agencies do not care if you took your media strategy classes on a physical quad. They care if you can write a flawless press release and run a data-driven ad campaign.

What is Public Relations & Advertising?

Public relations and advertising professionals are the architects of public perception, tasked with shaping how the world views a brand, product, or public figure. Day-to-day, this means crafting campaigns, analyzing audience engagement data, pitching stories to journalists, and managing the inevitable brand crises. It is a high-energy, deadline-driven field where creative storytelling directly intersects with corporate strategy and the bottom line.

Frequently asked questions

How important are internships in PR and Advertising?

They are the single most important part of your education. A perfect GPA means very little to an agency without a portfolio of real campaigns, published clips, or hands-on media experience. The schools that perform best in this field are those with robust student-run agencies and direct internship pipelines to major media markets or corporate headquarters.

Should I work at an agency or go in-house after graduation?

Agency life is fast-paced, highly varied, and excellent for building a diverse portfolio and networking across different industries. However, it is often grueling and lower-paying at the entry level. Going in-house (working directly for a single corporation's communications team) usually offers better starting pay and a more predictable work-life balance, though the day-to-day work can be less varied.

Do I need a specialized PR/Ad degree, or is a general Communications degree fine?

A specialized degree often provides hard skills—like media planning software, SEO optimization, and specific copywriting formats—that give you a slight edge for your very first job. Practically, however, employers treat them interchangeably as long as your internship experience and portfolio demonstrate that you know how to do the actual work.