Brand yourself a communications expert with one of the nation's best Bachelor's in Public Relations degrees.
Are you interested in how persuasive communication can improve and influence communities? Are you passionate about media, whether it's print, digital, or broadcast?
Do you love connecting with various populations? Do you want to become a marketing leader in your industry?
Then a career in public relations may be just for you!
What kind of Public Relations degree should you get?
Each of the 30 programs are housed within renowned communications and business schools. They will all provide a stellar education on the principles of public relations. But each program will also vary from the next.
For example, while some schools emphasize the importance of a global, multicultural perspective, others are concerned with emerging technologies and digital communication. Still others require internship experience and others encourage you to participate in their study abroad programs.
Seek out the best fit as well as those schools that will provide the kind of learning experience that suits your needs.
You should also consider online or distance learning. Online education is both a flexible and affordable way to advance your education and career. So, be sure to check out College Choice's Best Online Bachelor's in Public Relations.
Accredited Online College Programs
Explore our featured online programs and find the right match for you today.
How much money do people make with a Public Relations degree?
With a Bachelor's in Public Relations degree you are set up to work in a variety of fields and industries. Whether healthcare, education, corporate business, or local government—they all need someone who can speak passionately and eloquently about their product or service.
This means the average salaries for those with this degree are both stable and lucrative. While Public Relations Specialists make around $58,000 a year, PR and Marketing Managers can make up to $107,000 annually.
Even more, the demand for PR professionals is on the rise. It's projected that the need for Public Relations Specialists and Managers will rise 10 percent in the next few years alone.
What can you do with a Public Relations degree?
As we said, the opportunities for one with a Public Relations degree are innumerable. Businesses need PR professionals to write compelling advertising copy and manage how the customer views the company. Likewise, universities, hospitals, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations have the same needs.
Not only are there many industries available to PR professionals, but job titles and responsibilities can vary widely as well. After graduation you may find yourself in any one of these roles:
Marketing Manager
Speech Writer
Event Coordinator
Press Secretary
Social Media Specialist
And more
What are the requirements for a Public Relations degree?
When earning a BS in Public Relations degree you will allocate the first one to two years completing your general education core courses. Then during the second half of your undergraduate career you will explore PR and communication principles. This includes everything from PR writing to campaign planning.
From there you can hone in on your personal interests through specialized electives. And many of the universities and colleges on this ranking allow you to specialize even further through a minor or a formal concentration. These opportunities vary by school, but some concentrations you'll find include:
Media Relations and Writing
Organizational Communication
Broadcasting
Strategic Communication and Planning
New and Social Media
Finally, most of these programs either encourage or require to you to complete an internship. We've been sure to note those.
What are the best Public Relations degrees?
Though some of these programs are offered through elite research schools and others in small liberal arts colleges, all 30 share one thing in common: they are the nation's best at training future public relations leaders.
To find the best public relations degrees we first examined every program in the U.S. We narrowed our list by incorporating crucial key factors, such as reputation and retention. The latter reflects student satisfaction. From there we also looked at tuition rates and average graduate salaries to determine the return on investment.
What we found after such extensive research are the nation's 30 best Bachelor's in Public Relations degrees.
Our figures and information come from the university and colleges' websites, PayScale, and nationally recognized U.S. News & World Report and The National Center for Education Statistics.
Rankings
See our rankings methodology page.
