2026 Best Value Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools in the The Plains States Region

[Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication](/majors/communication-journalism-media/public-relations-advertising/public-relations-advertising-and-applied-communication/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong public relations, advertising, & applied communication education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 26 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for public relations, advertising, & applied communication students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public relations, advertising, & applied communication, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Nebraska Lincoln the best value for a degree in public relations, advertising, & applied communication in the The Plains States Region. University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public school located in the city of Lincoln. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,434, with out-of-state students paying around $28,584. Students borrow a median of $23,258 to complete the public relations, advertising, & applied communication program here. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates of University Of Nebraska Lincoln earn a median of $42,168 early in their careers. Set against $23,258 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
North Dakota State University Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public relations, advertising, & applied communication, landing the #2 spot this year. North Dakota State University Main Campus is a large public school located in the city of Fargo. Students from in state pay about $10,910 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,564. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public relations, advertising, & applied communication degree recipients from North Dakota State University Main Campus generally make around $39,223. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 95%.
Missouri State University Springfield is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public relations, advertising, & applied communication, landing the #3 spot this year. Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public school located in the city of Springfield. Students from in state pay about $9,502 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $18,770. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates carry a median of $23,329 in student loans. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates of Missouri State University Springfield earn a median of $40,178 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,329 median debt. Missouri State University Springfield admits about 90% of applicants.
Minnesota State University Moorhead came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value public relations, advertising, & applied communication schools. Minnesota State University Moorhead is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Moorhead. Students from in state pay about $10,428 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $22,312 to complete the public relations, advertising, & applied communication program here. Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication graduates of Minnesota State University Moorhead earn a median of $39,198 early in their careers. Set against $22,312 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 59% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in public relations, advertising, & applied communication will find it at Minnesota State University Mankato, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Mankato, Minnesota State University Mankato is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,572, compared with $18,942 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,260 to complete the public relations, advertising, & applied communication program here. Early-career public relations, advertising, & applied communication graduates make about $53,088. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Bellevue University earned the #6 position for value in public relations, advertising, & applied communication this year. Set in the suburb of Bellevue, Bellevue University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $12,873 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,852 to complete the public relations, advertising, & applied communication program here. Early-career public relations, advertising, & applied communication graduates make about $61,548. Set against $27,852 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Narrow Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Schools by State
More Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Rankings
View All Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 26 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.