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2026 Public Relations Degree Guide

Studying Public Relations explores Public Relations/image Management. A Program That Focuses On The Theories And Methods For Managing The Media Image Of A Business, Organization, Or Individual And The Communication Process With Stakeholders, Constituencies, Audiences, And The General Public; And That Prepares Individuals To Function As Public Relations Assistants, Technicians, And Managers. Includes Instruction In Public Relations Theory; Related Principles Of Advertising, Marketing, And Journalism; Message/image Design; Image Management; Special Event Management; Media Relations; Community Relations; Public Affairs; And Internal Communications. Examples: [Social Media Management]. Read on to learn the important information every public relations major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering public relations programs.

Public Relations Degrees in the United States

In the U.S., public relations is a popular field of study, with 4,061 degrees awarded annually.

Our 2026 Best Public Relations Schools ranking analyzes these 152 schools to determine the best overall colleges for public relations students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of public relations programs later in this article.

Best Public Relations Schools by Degree

Requirements for Getting a Degree in Public Relations

Coursework for Public Relations develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations public relations graduates commonly enter.

Skills You Will Develop

Skills emphasized by a public relations program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

Knowledge Areas

Per O*NET surveys, a public relations major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

Public Relations Degree Types

There are several public relations degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.

Degree	Typical Program Length	Graduates Annually
Certificate	Varies	50
Associate Degree	2 years	25
Bachelor’s Degree	4 years	3,461
Master’s Degree	1-3 years	513

People currently working in careers related to public relations tend to have obtained the following education levels.

Level of Education	Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	43.9%
Master’s degree	34.3%
Doctoral degree	7.3%
Post-doctoral training	4.5%
Some college courses	4.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.8%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.0%
Less than a high school diploma	0.9%
Post-master’s certificate	0.4%

See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in public relations careers hold.

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Public Relations Careers

Studying public relations prepares you for numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to public relations.

In-Demand Public Relations Careers

The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to public relations.

Occupation	Projected Jobs	Expected Growth
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary	919,494	-1.5%
Fundraising Managers	340,731	-1.0%
Fundraisers	340,575	12.6%
Public Relations Managers	337,124	7.0%
Advertising and Promotions Managers	324,973	-3.3%
Public Relations Specialists	288,926	-3.5%

How Much Money Do Public Relations Grads Make?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of public relations graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$43,317
4 years	$55,248
5 years	$64,495

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Highest Paid Public Relations Careers

Salaries for public relations graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers public relations grads often go into.

Occupation	Median Annual Salary
Public Relations Managers	$139,736
Fundraisers	$118,069
Advertising and Promotions Managers	$113,521
Public Relations Specialists	$103,749
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary	$96,169
Fundraising Managers	$90,350

Getting Your Public Relations Degree

With 152 different public relations programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased public relations school rankings to help you.

Public Relations Related Majors

If you are interested in public relations, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.

Additional Related Majors

Related Major	Annual Graduates
Advertising	4,308
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication	4,077
Communication Management and Strategic Communications	1,956
Organizational Communication, General	1,789
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, Other	1,296
Sports Communication	1,202
Health Communication	362
Political Communication	211
Technical and Scientific Communication	191
International and Intercultural Communication	183

References

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.