Best Online Public Relations Degrees

Explore the best online public relations degrees to take your career in communications to the next level.

CollegeChoice.net is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Turn Your Dreams Into Reality

Take our quiz and we'll do the homework for you! Compare your school matches and apply to your top choice today.

What is a Public Relations degree and what can you do with it?

The Public Relations Society of America says, “Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”

Public relations specialist can work for law firms, individuals, or large businesses. And if you're looking for training in this field, you can get it online.

Online degrees are getting more and more popular, so if you're thinking about other online programs take a peek at College Choice's ranking of the top online colleges and universities.

One thing is for sure: Public relations professionals will always be in need.

mini icon

Recommended Schools

Corporations like PepsiCo, ExxonMobil and United Airlines employ PR professionals to maintain and portray a certain reputation for the public. Business Insider featured Elliot Schrage as the most influential PR person who oversees Facebook’s 1 billion members.

When it comes to a company’s reputation, PR specialists can either help or diminish the company’s standing with the community. They have a big job.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average median pay for Public Relations Specialists is $58,020 per year.

“Employment of public relations specialists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2014 to 2024. PR specialists create and maintain a favorable public image for the organization they represent.

If you plan to become a public relations specialist, then you should pursue your career in Texas New York, California, D.C, or Florida. PR professionals in the Washington D.C. area earn an average of $95,750.

Best Online Bachelor Degrees in Public Relations Badge

What Are the Best Online Bachelor Degrees in Public Relations?

College Choice has gone through the tedious task of finding some of the best online undergraduate programs for PR degrees. Our method for delivering the best online bachelor for Public Relations degrees compares categories like tuition rates and retention. We also measure the return on investment for each college and university.

Our data for this ranking draws on sources such as the National Center for Education Statistics, PayScale, and U.S. News & World Report.

Rankings

See our rankings methodology page.

  1. California Baptist University
    Location

    Riverside, CA

    California Baptist University Online exists to respond to the ever-changing demands of a fast-paced culture. The online school is ideal for students who aspire to advance in their educational goals while maintaining their family or job. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission.

    Features

    The Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations requires 48 major units in addition to general course requirements. The school offers courses like Public Relations Issues and Crisis Management, Business Literacy for Public Relations Professionals, and Principles of International Public Relations. Because the school is rooted in the Baptist tradition, students take an additional six units in courses like the Overview of the Bible, and Foundations of Christian Thought.

    Notables

    U.S. News and World Report ranks CBU as one of the top-ranked Best Online Bachelor’s Program. The school stands as #8 among all Online Bachelor’s Programs. Also, at California Baptist University Online, you will have access to some of the best technology in distance learning. CBU has the latest technology in online education. Students interact with specialized equipment like Tandberg High Definition Video, Voice Thread, WebEx, Movi-Cisco, and other tools that enhance the learning experience.

  2. Drexel University Online
    Location

    Philadelphia, PA

    If you are interested in being a spokesperson for a large corporation on television or be involved in press conferences and writing, then you should check out Drexel University Online. The University’s B.S. in Communication in Public Relations prepares students for careers in media and television, video production, press conferences, and graduate study in many disciplines.

    Features

    Drexel University Online offers the B.S. in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations. The unique format of the degree program prepares you to contextualize your studies in Public Relations with other topics like Journalism, Mass Media and Society, New Technologies in Communication, and Public Relations. As opposed to the two-semester system, the program is organized into four 10-week quarters each year.

    Notables

    Just because the Public Relations program is online, it does not mean that you will not have the support you need. At Drexel students have access to their professors, classmates, academic advisor, and 24/7 tech support. Another notable feature of Drexel’s online program is that it offers study abroad opportunities for its virtual students.

  3. Colorado Christian University
    Location

    Lakewood, CO

    Colorado Christian University (CCU) was established 1914 and is an interdenominational Christian college. The university is a member of the Council of Christian Collee and Universities. The school has about 7,379 enrolled students and 150 undergraduate faculty members. The undergraduate student-faculty ration is 11:1.

    Features

    The online program at CCU consists of 36 Major Core courses and 42 credit hours of Elective Requirements. Major Core courses include Advanced Interpersonal Relations, Persuasive Communication, and also a Field Internship. The program also adds components of legal and ethical fields as well as biblical perspectives.

    Notables

    Military Service Members and Veterans get special educational benefits at Colorado Christian University. Also, if you have already taken courses at other institutions, CCU will allow you to transfer those credits so that you can complete your degree sooner. The Higher Learning Commission accredits Colorado Christian University.

  4. Bellevue University
    Location

    Bellevue, NE

    Bellevue University prepares students for careers in public relations and digital communications by training students in professional writing and speaking, creative thinking, and ethical decision-making. The school began in 1966. Bellevue values integrity, innovation, education, and is student-centric.

    Features

    The Bachelor of Science in Communication online degree at Bellevue University prepares students for careers in Public Relations. In the Virtual Public Relations Experience course students participate in a virtual business environment to cultivate skills that develop effective leaders in organizations. Courses are offered entirely online or in-class.

    Notables

    Washington Monthly highlights Bellevue as a Top Ten University for Adult Learners. Most Innovative Universities Online named the school as the Most Generous Credit Transfer Policy, and the school is one of the top Military-friendly schools. The flexibility of Bellevue’s online program allows students to continue their professions while enhancing their careers.

  5. Geneva College
    Location

    Beaver Falls, PA

    Geneva College is a Christ-centered educational institution that was established in 1848. Although the Bachelor of Public Relations degree is entirely online, the physical campus is in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. The Public Relations program at Geneva assists students in advancing in careers and further study in public relations, advertising, promotions, and communications.

    Features

    One of the advantages of the online program at Geneva College is that students have 24/7 access to its McCartney Library. If there were one word to describe the nature of Geneva’s online Bachelors of Public Relations, it would be “convenience.” The program is offered in a 16-month format with two eight-week classes at a time. It’s excellent professors give one-on-one attention and support to their students.

    Notables

    Geneva online is one of the best online colleges in Pennsylvania. Affordable Colleges Online ranks the school among the top in its state. Geneva College provides opportunities for its students to network and gains professional experience through its chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.

  6. Webster University
    Location

    Saint Louis, MO

    Webster University is a nonprofit university in St. Louis, Missouri. The University was founded in 1915 and currently has campus locations in North America, Europe, Asia Africa. Global, action-oriented, and academic excellence characterize some of the Webster’s values. The online program at Webster allows you to engage many perspectives because you are not limited to a physical classroom. You are a “WorldClassRoom” student.

    Features

    Webster’s School of Communications houses the online B.A. degree. The Bachelor of Arts in Media Communications allows students to concentrate in Public Relations. Students must complete at least 12 hours of study to establish the concentration in Public Relations. The degree requires a minimum of 128 credit hours with University Global Citizenship Program hours and electives.

    Notables

    What distinguishes Webster University from others? The institution is globally-focused, and it applies theory to real-life situations. Furthermore, Webster focuses on diversity and inclusion with students from more than 100 countries.

  7. National University
    Location

    La Jolla, CA

    National University was established in 1971. Its online educational platform is one of the most impressive among educational institutions. The school offers more than 70 degrees that are entirely online.

    Features

    Students interested in Public Relations at National University engage the concentration through an interdisciplinary approach. The online bachelor’s degree program blends concepts in “advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing.” The school requires a minimum of 180 quarter units.

    Notables

    National University excels in its commitment to diversity. Diverse Issues in Higher Education ranks the school as one of the top degree-granting institutions for Hispanics and African Americans in California. Also, the school ranks highly for granting degrees to women nationally. National University is committed to helping all students do well in their academic goals.

  8. Pennsylvania State University-World Campus
    Location

    University Park, PA

    Pennsylvania State University’s World Campus is the second largest school within the Pennsylvania State University system. The school has offered online education since 1998. Penn State World Campus offers more than 125 degrees and certificates.

    Features

    The Bachelor of Arts in Advertising/Public Relations with an option in Strategic Communications is a 120-credit interdisciplinary program. The online program helps students to develop skills in complex problem solving, oral, visual, and written communication, research and analytic techniques, creative thinking, and cultural and social awareness. The undergrad degree helps students get positions as public relations specialists and managers, media relations workers, and as public relations associates.

    Notables

    The online bachelor’s program at Pennsylvania State stands as one of the best in the United States. U.S. News and World Report regards Penn States’ online bachelor’s program as one of the best in the nation for 2017. When you graduate from the school’s online bachelor’s program, you will be able to “influence the public image of a person or an organization.”

  9. University of Louisville
    Location

    Louisville, KY

    The University of Louisville (UofL) is a research university that joined the university system in 1970. UofL has six online, undergraduate degree programs. Students interested in careers in Public Relations take courses in the PR through the Bachelor of Arts in Communication or the Bachelor of Science in Communication degrees.

    Features

    UofL’s program prepares students to do “research, writing, editing, special events, fund raising, and administration” in careers in Public Relations. Whereas the B.A. degree requires more foreign language and liberal arts credits, the B.S. degree does not. Students take 21-hour core classes and 15 hours of communication courses.

    Notables

    The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredits the University of Louisville. UofL has 16 online learning programs with approximately 5,900 students taking one online course. The University of Louisville has more than 130,000 alumni.

  10. Southern New Hampshire University
    Location

    Manchester, NH

    Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private institution founded in 1932. The physical campus is in Manchester, New Hampshire. The school has more than 80,000 online students. Faculty members who have practical experience in PR teach the online courses.

    Features

    SNHU offers courses like Public Relations, Writing for Public Relations, Electronic Public Relations, and Public Relations Campaign Planning Seminar. The Public Relations Campaign Planning Seminar is a capstone course where students develop and pitch a campaign for a real client. The program requires students to take general college courses at the College of Online and Continuing Education, Major Courses, and Electives.

    Notables

    GetEducated.com ranks Southern New Hampshire University as one of the best online schools and G.I. Jobs ranks it as a top military friendly university. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges accredits the university. With an online PR degree from SNHU, you will make yourself competitive in the marketplace.

Online College Resources

Helping you prepare and gain the most out of your educational experience.

Discover a program that is right for you.

Search schools to find the program that is right for you.