Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Degrees in the US by ROI

Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs Analyzed

160

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$132,842

Across all programs

Average Annual Cost

$40,896

Cost of attendance

# College State 20-Yr Net ROI Median Salary Annual Cost Avg Debt
1 San Jose State University

Grad rate: 66.2%

 CA +$234,320 $58,855 $25,695 N/A Full ROI →
2 Southeast Missouri State University

Grad rate: 56.0%

 MO +$191,842 $57,947 $23,337 $25,000 Full ROI →
3 Miami University-Middletown

Grad rate: 23.5%

 OH +$183,614 $56,180 $16,559 $25,000 Full ROI →
4 Miami University-Hamilton

Grad rate: 20.5%

 OH +$183,082 $56,180 $16,692 $25,000 Full ROI →
5 Utah State University

Grad rate: 55.8%

 UT +$138,040 $53,112 $21,050 N/A Full ROI →
6 The University of Texas at Austin

Grad rate: 87.7%

 TX +$136,948 $56,233 $29,842 $20,995 Full ROI →
7 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 IL +$123,956 $56,194 $32,134 $23,250 Full ROI →
8 San Diego State University

Grad rate: 78.1%

 CA +$123,130 $54,778 $27,357 $17,038 Full ROI →
9 Carthage College

Grad rate: 62.6%

 WI +$118,260 $57,509 $47,980 N/A Full ROI →
10 Manhattan University

Grad rate: 69.1%

 NY +$103,018 $61,402 $62,537 $25,832 Full ROI →
11 Miami University-Oxford

Grad rate: 81.3%

 OH +$100,978 $56,180 $37,218 $25,000 Full ROI →
12 University of Georgia

Grad rate: 87.6%

 GA +$73,423 $52,629 $27,436 $21,787 Full ROI →
13 University of Florida-Online

Grad rate: 78.1%

 FL +$61,393 $49,654 $17,036 $17,439 Full ROI →
14 American University

Grad rate: 79.0%

 DC +$55,307 $60,860 $71,549 $26,442 Full ROI →
15 Fashion Institute of Technology

Grad rate: 83.3%

 NY +$55,127 $52,154 $29,732 $21,500 Full ROI →
16 University of Oregon

Grad rate: 72.5%

 OR +$53,051 $52,631 $32,636 $21,500 Full ROI →
17 University of Rhode Island

Grad rate: 71.4%

 RI +$52,754 $52,707 $32,584 $23,000 Full ROI →
18 Brigham Young University

Grad rate: 80.4%

 UT +$45,637 $49,266 $20,879 $11,975 Full ROI →
19 University of Florida

Grad rate: 90.7%

 FL +$42,661 $49,654 $21,719 $17,439 Full ROI →
20 Michigan State University

Grad rate: 81.9%

 MI +$30,244 $51,231 $30,528 $23,899 Full ROI →
21 Syracuse University

Grad rate: 82.4%

 NY +$24,956 $61,082 $80,396 $26,000 Full ROI →
22 Florida State University

Grad rate: 83.9%

 FL +$23,131 $48,828 $23,683 $13,849 Full ROI →
23 George Washington University

Grad rate: 85.0%

 DC +$20,224 $60,726 $80,727 $23,250 Full ROI →
24 Assumption University

Grad rate: 73.2%

 MA +$12,782 $56,817 $61,777 $27,000 Full ROI →
25 Long Island University

Grad rate: 51.8%

 NY +$12,404 $53,104 $52,419 N/A Full ROI →
26 Suffolk University

Grad rate: 60.1%

 MA +$2,802 $56,527 $62,822 $27,000 Full ROI →
27 State University of New York at Plattsburgh

Grad rate: 61.7%

 NY -$11,096 $48,614 $27,415 $24,975 Full ROI →
28 University of San Francisco

Grad rate: 72.8%

 CA -$14,251 $58,141 $76,421 $23,250 Full ROI →
29 School of Visual Arts

Grad rate: 74.4%

 NY -$17,504 $56,128 $75,016 N/A Full ROI →
30 University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Grad rate: 65.4%

 NE -$25,342 $47,371 $25,341 $23,258 Full ROI →
31 York College of Pennsylvania

Grad rate: 62.2%

 PA -$26,531 $49,571 $35,806 $25,724 Full ROI →
32 University of Northern Iowa

Grad rate: 66.3%

 IA -$31,007 $46,199 $21,627 $21,096 Full ROI →
33 Academy of Art University

Grad rate: 42.4%

 CA -$32,120 $49,833 $47,195 N/A Full ROI →
34 Wayne State University

Grad rate: 58.3%

 MI -$32,386 $47,562 $26,794 $27,000 Full ROI →
35 Central Washington University

Grad rate: 51.0%

 WA -$33,623 $46,924 $25,148 $23,342 Full ROI →
36 California State University-Dominguez Hills

Grad rate: 46.7%

 CA -$38,546 $44,040 $15,449 $13,000 Full ROI →
37 Johnson & Wales University-Online RI -$46,975 $46,378 $25,365 $24,500 Full ROI →
38 Mount Saint Mary College

Grad rate: 63.5%

 NY -$49,460 $49,889 $51,810 N/A Full ROI →
39 University of Houston

Grad rate: 64.0%

 TX -$53,854 $45,925 $25,056 $23,800 Full ROI →
40 Lynn University

Grad rate: 52.4%

 FL -$54,768 $51,425 $60,817 N/A Full ROI →
41 Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Grad rate: 66.5%

 MN -$55,640 $50,192 $54,870 N/A Full ROI →
42 Illinois State University

Grad rate: 66.7%

 IL -$55,847 $47,218 $32,458 $22,500 Full ROI →
43 Iowa State University

Grad rate: 75.0%

 IA -$56,988 $45,483 $23,309 $24,750 Full ROI →
44 Southern Methodist University

Grad rate: 82.8%

 TX -$58,990 $56,890 $82,532 $19,750 Full ROI →
45 Grand Valley State University

Grad rate: 67.4%

 MI -$61,260 $46,033 $26,578 $26,377 Full ROI →
46 Pace University

Grad rate: 61.4%

 NY -$62,198 $54,196 $68,092 $25,000 Full ROI →
47 Drake University

Grad rate: 76.8%

 IA -$62,715 $52,915 $62,407 $23,250 Full ROI →
48 Kent State University at Kent

Grad rate: 65.1%

 OH -$63,210 $46,396 $29,345 $25,000 Full ROI →
49 Oklahoma State University-Main Campus

Grad rate: 65.4%

 OK -$63,503 $45,497 $25,915 $22,062 Full ROI →
50 North Dakota State University-Main Campus

Grad rate: 63.4%

 ND -$70,014 $44,865 $23,391 $25,000 Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.

Find Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Degrees by State

Browse Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.

Alabama Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Arizona Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Arkansas Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → California Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Colorado Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Connecticut Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Florida Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Georgia Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Idaho Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Illinois Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Indiana Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Iowa Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Kentucky Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Louisiana Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Maine Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Maryland Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Massachusetts Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Michigan Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Minnesota Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Mississippi Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Missouri Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Nebraska Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → New Hampshire Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → New Jersey Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → New York Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → North Carolina Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → North Dakota Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Ohio Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Oklahoma Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Oregon Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Pennsylvania Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Rhode Island Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → South Carolina Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → South Dakota Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Tennessee Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Texas Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Utah Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Vermont Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Virginia Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Washington Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication → Wisconsin Best Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication →