2026 Best Value Public Relations Schools in Iowa
[Public Relations](/majors/communication-journalism-media/public-relations-advertising/public-relations/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value public relations schools.
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2026 Best Value Public Relations Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public relations, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Relations Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Northern Iowa the best value for a degree in public relations in Iowa. Set in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,936 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $21,712. Students borrow a median of $21,096 to complete the public relations program here. Public Relations graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $43,755 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 93%.
Iowa State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public relations, landing the #2 spot this year. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,787, compared with $28,881 for out-of-state students. Public Relations graduates carry a median of $24,750 in student loans. Early-career public relations graduates make about $42,530. Set against $24,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in public relations will find it at Drake University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $51,960 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the public relations program here. Soon after graduation, public relations degree recipients from Drake University generally make around $44,492. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
