2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Public Relations & Advertising is the 53rd most popular major in the country with 20,229 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, public relations and advertising graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $36,513 and had an average of $25,130 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Southwest region, there were 2,543 public relations and advertising graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,827 and $23,037 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,269 public relations and advertising graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,896 and $23,899 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 21 colleges that offered a degree in public relations and advertising. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great public relations and advertising programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the public relations and advertising program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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More Ways to Rank Public Relations & Advertising Schools
The public relations school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k.
Top 21 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Relations & Advertising (Income $30-$48k) in the Southwest Region
Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas at Austin landed the #1 spot on the list. The University of Texas at Austin is a large public school situated in Austin, Texas. It awarded 567 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
UT Austin did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at Austin is $13,575 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at The University of Texas at Austin
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas Tech University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Texas Tech University is located in Lubbock, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 262 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
Texas Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $13,326 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Texas Tech.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Texas Tech University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Texas. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UNT is located in Denton, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
UNT also took the #14 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $9,082 for southwest region bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of North Texas.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at University of North Texas
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Oklahoma State University - Main Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 122 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
OSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is $9,962 for southwest region bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Full Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Public Relations & Advertising Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Arizona State University - Tempe. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. ASU - Tempe is located in Tempe, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 92 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
ASU - Tempe not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Arizona State University - Tempe is $8,921 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at ASU - Tempe
With a ranking of #6, University of Houston did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Houston, Texas, this large public school awarded 154 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public relations students in 2019-2020.
UH also took the #6 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Houston is $9,925 for southwest region bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Texas State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Texas State University is located in San Marcos, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 315 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
Texas State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $12,292 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Texas State.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Texas State University
The University of Texas at El Paso came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. El Paso, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public relations degrees to 85 students in 2019-2020.
UTEP did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Texas at El Paso is $7,427 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at The University of Texas at El Paso
With a ranking of #9, Northern Arizona University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northern Arizona University is a large public school situated in Flagstaff, Arizona. It awarded 166 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
NAU also made our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for NAU is $9,799 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is located in Norman, Oklahoma and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 87 bachelors’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
University of Oklahoma also took the #5 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is $17,285 for southwest region bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
Stephen F Austin State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Stephen F Austin State University is a fairly large school located in Nacogdoches, Texas that handed out 2 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
SFASU also took the #19 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $10,816 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SFASU.
Full Stephen F Austin State University Public Relations & Advertising Report
University of Central Oklahoma did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. UCO is a fairly large school located in Edmond, Oklahoma that handed out 77 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCO, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $13,381 for southwest region bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Central Oklahoma.
Lamar University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Beaumont, Texas, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lamar University, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $10,631 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lamar University.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Lamar University
West Texas A&M University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. West Texas A&M University is a fairly large school located in Canyon, Texas that handed out 17 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
West Texas A&M University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend West Texas A&M University is $10,146 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at West Texas A&M University
Southern Methodist University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. Southern Methodist University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Dallas, Texas. It awarded 98 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
SMU also made our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $27,331 for southwest region bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Southern Methodist University.
With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
With a ranking of #16, Texas Christian University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Fort Worth, Texas, and it awarded 105 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, TCU has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $23,246 for southwest region bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Texas Christian University.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Oral Roberts University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Oral Roberts University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It awarded 20 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, ORU has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend ORU is $20,104 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
Saint Edward’s University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. Saint Edward’s University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
St. Edward’s University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $20,024 for southwest region bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend St. Edward’s University.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Saint Edward’s University
Grand Canyon University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Grand Canyon University is a large school located in Phoenix, Arizona that handed out 23 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
Grand Canyon University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Grand Canyon University is $18,704 for southwest region bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Grand Canyon University Public Relations & Advertising Report
Abilene Christian University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. Abilene Christian is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Abilene, Texas. It awarded 10 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
Abilene Christian not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Abilene Christian University is $24,260 for southwest region bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Abilene Christian University
Dallas Baptist University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Dallas, Texas, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s public relations degrees in 2019-2020.
DBU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Public Relations & Advertising Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Dallas Baptist University is $24,831 for southwest region bachelor’s degree public relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Bill Koplitz.
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