Best institutions to study Public Relations in Illinois
The Public Relations program, formally known as Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, focuses on managing and disseminating information to influence public perception. This program is ideal for individuals interested in…
Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central College Naperville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $48,549 | 6 | 64% | $20,052 | $26,899 |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,063 | 227 | 85% | — | $23,250 |
| 3 | Illinois State University Normal Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,874 | 48 | 65% | — | $22,500 |
| 4 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,308 | 81 | 73% | $33,454 | $25,000 |
| 5 | DePaul University Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,234 | 125 | 68% | $28,141 | $24,500 |
| 6 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,794 | 20 | 52% | $28,087 | $26,000 |
| 7 | Eastern Illinois University Charleston Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,369 | 14 | 47% | — | $23,745 |
| 8 | Bradley University Peoria Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,351 | 33 | 76% | $21,768 | $26,819 |
| 9 | Lewis University Romeoville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $24,202 | 8 | 67% | $17,632 | — |
| 10 | Illinois Media School Chicago Private for-profit · Certificate degree | $21,902 | 16 | 80% | $30,188 | $15,833 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Public Relations Specialists (SOC 27-3031).
Top skills
What Public Relations Specialists earn in Illinois
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Public Relations programs in Illinois.
Which Public Relations program in Illinois has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), North Central College tops the list at $48,549. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Public Relations Specialists earn in Illinois?+
The average annual wage for Public Relations Specialists in Illinois is $86,060 (median $76,380), across about 6,200 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Public Relations program?+
The Public Relations program, formally known as Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, focuses on managing and disseminating information to influence public perception. This program is ideal for individuals interested in…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop active listening, speaking, writing, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Public Relations Specialists?+
The national job outlook is about +4.8% growth with around 27,600 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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