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2025 Best Public Relations Schools

78 Colleges in the United States
5,039 PR Degrees Awarded
If you pursue a degree in public relations, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #138 most popular program in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 78 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for public relations students pursuing a degree. Combined, these schools handed out 5,039 degrees in public relations to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Public Relations School

Best Public Relations Schools The pr program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Public Relations rankings. For our Best Overall Public Relations School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Pick Your Public Relations Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in PR
Master's Degrees in PR

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Public Relations Schools ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for Public Relations in the United States

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the pr degree levels they offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

15 Top Schools in PR

1
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, MA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In MA
186 PR Degrees Awarded

Every student who is interested in public relations needs to check out Boston University. Located in the city of Boston, Boston U is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #23 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Boston U is a great university overall.

There were about 186 public relations students who graduated with this degree at Boston U in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in public relations from Boston University

2
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In TX
144 PR Degrees Awarded

The University of Texas at Austin is a great decision for students interested in a degree in public relations. UT Austin is a very large public university located in the city of Austin. A Best Colleges rank of #46 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UT Austin is a great university overall.

There were roughly 144 public relations students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in public relations from The University of Texas at Austin

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BA in Communication - Public Relations Program Name

Prepare to develop your skills in building mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their public audiences.

More information about a degree in BA in Communication - Public Relations from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

3
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In DC
52 PR Degrees Awarded

George Washington University is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in public relations. Located in the city of Washington, GWU is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #25 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means GWU is a great university overall.

There were approximately 52 public relations students who graduated with this degree at GWU in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in public relations from George Washington University

4
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In NY
102 PR Degrees Awarded

Any student who is interested in public relations needs to take a look at Syracuse University. Located in the midsize city of Syracuse, Syracuse is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #62 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Syracuse is a great university overall.

There were about 102 public relations students who graduated with this degree at Syracuse in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in public relations from Syracuse University

5
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In GA
148 PR Degrees Awarded

UGA is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Athens. A Best Colleges rank of #69 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UGA is a great university overall.

There were roughly 148 public relations students who graduated with this degree at UGA in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in public relations from University of Georgia

6
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In FL
215 PR Degrees Awarded

UF is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Gainesville. A Best Colleges rank of #56 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UF is a great university overall.

There were roughly 215 public relations students who graduated with this degree at UF in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in public relations from University of Florida

7
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
5th Most Popular In TX
35 PR Degrees Awarded

SMU is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Dallas. This university ranks 5th out of 115 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were about 35 public relations students who graduated with this degree at SMU in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in public relations from Southern Methodist University

Sponsored
Masters Degree Type
MA in Communication - Public Relations Program Name

Learn how to use the latest technology and tactics to manage the flow of information between brands and the public with your Master's in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations at Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in MA in Communication - Public Relations from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

8
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In CA
83 PR Degrees Awarded

Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #13 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were about 83 public relations students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in public relations from University of Southern California

9
Temple crest
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In PA
54 PR Degrees Awarded

Temple is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Philadelphia. A Best Colleges rank of #97 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Temple is a great university overall.

There were approximately 54 public relations students who graduated with this degree at Temple in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in public relations from Temple University

10
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In WA
133 PR Degrees Awarded

Wazzu is a fairly large public university located in the distant town of Pullman. This university ranks 3rd out of 50 schools for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were roughly 133 public relations students who graduated with this degree at Wazzu in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in public relations from Washington State University

11
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In OR
188 PR Degrees Awarded

Located in the midsize city of Eugene, UO is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 29 schools for overall quality in the state of Oregon.

There were about 188 public relations students who graduated with this degree at UO in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in public relations from University of Oregon

Sponsored
Associates Degree Type
AS in Marketing Program Name

Learn creative problem-solving skills and expand your knowledge in consumer behavior with an online associate in marketing degree from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in AS in Marketing from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

12
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In AL
211 PR Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of Tuscaloosa, UA is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 42 colleges for overall quality in the state of Alabama.

There were about 211 public relations students who graduated with this degree at UA in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in public relations from The University of Alabama

13
Marquette crest
Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In WI
47 PR Degrees Awarded

Marquette is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Milwaukee. A Best Colleges rank of #114 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Marquette is a great university overall.

There were about 47 public relations students who graduated with this degree at Marquette in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in public relations from Marquette University

14
The American University crest
American University
Washington, DC
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In DC
132 PR Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of Washington, The American University is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #61 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means The American University is a great university overall.

There were about 132 public relations students who graduated with this degree at The American University in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in public relations from American University

15
Rowan crest
Rowan University
Glassboro, NJ
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In NJ
73 PR Degrees Awarded

Rowan is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Glassboro. This university ranks 13th out of 45 colleges for overall quality in the state of New Jersey.

There were roughly 73 public relations students who graduated with this degree at Rowan in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in public relations from Rowan University

Rest of the Top Best Public Relations Schools

Honorable Mentions

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Public Relations Schools award.

Rank College Location
16 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX
17 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL
18 University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC
19 Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT
20 University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI
21 Iowa State University Ames, IA
22 University of Houston Houston, TX
23 Drake University Des Moines, IA
24 Rider University Lawrenceville, NJ
25 Brigham Young University - Provo Provo, UT
26 Texas State University San Marcos, TX

Public Relations by Region

View the Best Public Relations Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

View All Rankings >

One of 10 majors within the Public Relations & Advertising area of study, Public Relations has other similar majors worth exploring.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Advertising 4,655
Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication 4,517
General Organizational Communication 1,905
Communication Management and Strategic Communications 1,802
Other Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication 1,409
Sports Communication 943
Health Communication 424
Technical & Scientific Communication 203
Political Communication 195
International & Intercultural Communication 183

View All PR Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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