Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
Offered at 671 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 75 | $41,682 | $41,358 | $17,150 |
| Associate | 28 | — | — | — |
| Bachelor's | 380 | $47,537 | $65,550 | $22,500 |
| Master's | 127 | $64,876 | $85,457 | — |
| Doctoral | 8 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 53 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $41,682, versus $47,537 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Arizona University | AZ | — | $81,351 | — |
| 2 | Boise State University | ID | $62,275 | $70,400 | $18,425 |
| 3 | University of Georgia | GA | $55,009 | $64,929 | $15,875 |
| 4 | University of Kentucky | KY | — | $54,346 | — |
| 5 | Illinois Media School | IL | $28,355 | $41,358 | $15,833 |
| 6 | Illinois Media School-Chicago Campus | IL | $28,355 | $41,358 | $15,833 |
| 7 | Ohio Media School-Valley View | OH | — | $38,223 | — |
| 8 | Colorado Media School | CO | — | $38,223 | — |
| 9 | Ohio Media School-Columbus | OH | — | $38,223 | — |
| 10 | Ohio Media School-Cincinnati | OH | — | $29,752 | $9,500 |
| 11 | Miami Media School | FL | — | $29,752 | $9,500 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fashion Institute of Technology | NY | $41,209 | $60,958 | $12,000 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California | CA | $63,165 | $101,953 | $12,500 |
| 2 | Syracuse University | NY | $63,858 | $97,536 | $25,000 |
| 3 | George Washington University | DC | $63,370 | $93,229 | $21,000 |
| 4 | Pepperdine University | CA | $56,348 | $91,940 | $21,500 |
| 5 | University of Colorado Boulder | CO | $51,590 | $91,092 | $19,500 |
| 6 | American University | DC | $55,454 | $90,180 | $22,250 |
| 7 | San Jose State University | CA | — | $89,759 | — |
| 8 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | $55,788 | $88,689 | $17,223 |
| 9 | Southern Methodist University | TX | $56,398 | $88,602 | $18,500 |
| 10 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $55,871 | $88,465 | $19,500 |
| 11 | Endicott College | MA | $61,742 | $87,981 | $26,675 |
| 12 | Miami University-Hamilton | OH | $54,655 | $87,897 | $21,000 |
| 13 | Miami University-Middletown | OH | $54,655 | $87,897 | $21,000 |
| 14 | Miami University-Oxford | OH | $54,655 | $87,897 | $21,000 |
| 15 | Chapman University | CA | $57,836 | $86,494 | $23,000 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgetown University | DC | $94,623 | $119,730 | — |
| 2 | School of Visual Arts | NY | — | $119,374 | — |
| 3 | George Washington University | DC | $82,780 | $111,458 | — |
| 4 | CUNY City College | NY | $66,436 | $107,927 | — |
| 5 | American University | DC | $63,787 | $107,720 | — |
| 6 | University of St Thomas | MN | — | $99,051 | — |
| 7 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | $109,200 | $98,664 | — |
| 8 | Boston University | MA | $69,990 | $96,054 | — |
| 9 | Rider University | NJ | — | $95,230 | — |
| 10 | Syracuse University | NY | $66,584 | $92,296 | — |
| 11 | University of Colorado Boulder | CO | $91,173 | — | — |
| 12 | Northwestern University | IL | $81,217 | $90,294 | — |
| 13 | University of Southern California | CA | $66,277 | $89,865 | — |
| 14 | Marist University | NY | $67,921 | $86,868 | — |
| 15 | Iona University | NY | $45,072 | $86,211 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do public relations, advertising, and applied communication graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in public relations, advertising, and applied communication reports median earnings of $47,537. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
