by our College Data Analytics Team
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Well Attended Public Relations Major” ranking.
Public Relations & Advertising is the 52nd most popular major in the country with 21,099 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, public relations and advertising graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $38,287 and had an average of $23,973 in loans still to pay off.
This year’s “Most Well Attended Public Relations Major” ranking looked at 513 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in public relations and advertising. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular public relations and advertising programs in the United States.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Public Relations Major” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Public Relations Major”.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern New Hampshire University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. Located in Manchester, New Hampshire, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 721 degrees to qualified ’s public relations students in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Oregon. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. University of Oregon is a public institution located in Eugene, Oregon. The school has a large population, and it awarded 609 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Fashion Institute of Technology. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. This medium-sized school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 598 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Fashion Institute of Technology
Out of the 513 schools in the Most Well Attended Public Relations Major that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas at Austin landed the #4 spot on the list. UT Austin is a large school located in Austin, Texas that handed out 616 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Michigan State University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. East Lansing, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public relations degrees to 588 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Colorado Boulder ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. Located in Boulder, Colorado, this large public school awarded 404 diplomas to qualified ’s public relations students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at CU - Boulder
University of Florida ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. University of Florida is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 409 ’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.
Syracuse University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Relations Major ranking. This large school is located in Syracuse, New York, and it awarded 373 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Syracuse
Texas Tech University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Relations Major ranking, coming in at #9. Lubbock, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public relations degrees to 417 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at Texas Tech
The University of Alabama landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Relations Major ranking. UA is a public institution located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The school has a large population, and it awarded 340 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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 undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 The University of Alabama
Temple University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Relations Major ranking. Temple University is a large public school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 346 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Texas State University ranked #12 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. Texas State University is a large school located in San Marcos, Texas that handed out 334 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Texas State University
University of Georgia did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Relations Major ranking, coming in at #13. University of Georgia is located in Athens, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 384 ’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Washington State University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Relations Major ranking. Located in Pullman, Washington, this large public school awarded 307 diplomas to qualified ’s public relations students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of South Carolina - Columbia came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Public Relations Major ranking. Columbia, South Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public relations degrees to 279 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at University of South Carolina - Columbia
With a ranking of #16, Florida International University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. FIU is a large school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 276 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at Florida International University
With a ranking of #17, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 247 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Relations & Advertising at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Nebraska - Lincoln came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Public Relations Major ranking. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is located in Lincoln, Nebraska and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 262 ’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Kennesaw State University ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. This large school is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, and it awarded 228 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #20, DePaul University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 217 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at DePaul University
Rowan University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Public Relations Major ranking, coming in at #21. Rowan is a fairly large public school situated in Glassboro, New Jersey. It awarded 249 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Grand Valley State University ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. GVSU is a public institution located in Allendale, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 208 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Grand Valley State University Public Relations & Advertising Report
University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. Tampa, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public relations degrees to 188 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at USF Tampa
Brigham Young University - Provo ranked #24 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. BYU is located in Provo, Utah and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 187 ’s public relations degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Houston ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended Public Relations Major list. This large school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 184 ’s public relations degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Public Relations & Advertising at University of Houston
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | University of Rhode Island | Kingston, RI |
| 52 | Texas Christian University | Fort Worth, TX |
| 52 | Marquette University | Milwaukee, WI |
| 52 | Arizona State University - Tempe | Tempe, AZ |
| 55 | Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant, MI |
| 56 | Full Sail University | Winter Park, FL |
| 57 | California State University - Dominguez Hills | Carson, CA |
| 58 | West Virginia University | Morgantown, WV |
| 59 | Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania | Bloomsburg, PA |
| 59 | Butler University | Indianapolis, IN |
| 61 | St John’s University - New York | Queens, NY |
| 61 | Illinois State University | Normal, IL |
| 61 | Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green, KY |
| 64 | Pace University - New York | New York, NY |
| 65 | Murray State University | Murray, KY |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | The University of Tampa | Tampa, FL |
| 66 | The University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso, TX |
| 68 | Suffolk University | Boston, MA |
| 69 | San Jose State University | San Jose, CA |
| 70 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities | Minneapolis, MN |
| 70 | Arkansas State University - Main Campus | Jonesboro, AR |
| 72 | Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, MI |
| 73 | University of Idaho | Moscow, ID |
| 74 | University of Oklahoma Norman Campus | Norman, OK |
| 75 | Auburn University | Auburn, AL |
| 75 | University of Central Oklahoma | Edmond, OK |
| 77 | Bradley University | Peoria, IL |
| 77 | Southeast Missouri State University | Cape Girardeau, MO |
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
