Massachusetts · Public Relations

Best colleges for Public Relations in Massachusetts

Ranked by graduate earnings

Endicott College, Suffolk University and Emerson College are the top bachelor's Public Relations programs in Massachusetts by graduate earnings. Endicott College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $47,903, College Scorecard. Boston University, Emerson College and Suffolk University award the most Public Relations degrees in Massachusetts: 480, 74 and 72 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 16 Massachusetts colleges offer Public Relations and award 753 degrees and certificates a year in all.

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…

Institutions
16
offering CIP 09.09
States offered
48
with a program page
Degrees / yr
753
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$44,863
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
4
College Scorecard
Median net price
$24,848
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
67%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Public Relations Specialists
$90,400
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 4 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Endicott College
Beverly Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$47,9032176%$34,195$27,000
2Suffolk University
Boston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$44,8637261%$28,895$27,000
3Emerson College
Boston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$28,6067477%$40,982$24,625
4Assumption University
Worcester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$51,1141275%$24,206$27,000

Colleges awarding the most Public Relations degrees in Massachusetts

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Boston University
Boston Private not-for-profit
480Not reported
2Emerson College
Boston Private not-for-profit
74$28,606
3Suffolk University
Boston Private not-for-profit
72$44,863
4Harvard University
Cambridge Private not-for-profit
30Not reported
5Endicott College
Beverly Private not-for-profit
21$47,903
6Lasell University
Newton Private not-for-profit
15Not reported
7Salem State University
Salem Public
15Not reported
8Assumption University
Worcester Private not-for-profit
12$51,114
9Nichols College
Dudley Private not-for-profit
7Not reported
10Curry College
Milton Private not-for-profit
6Not reported
Show the other 6 Massachusetts colleges offering Public Relations
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Simmons UniversityBostonPrivate not-for-profit6
American International CollegeSpringfieldPrivate not-for-profit5
Tufts UniversityMedfordPrivate not-for-profit4
Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcesterPrivate not-for-profit3
Bridgewater State UniversityBridgewaterPublic2
Mount Wachusett Community CollegeGardnerPublic1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Public Relations Specialists (SOC 27-3031).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.8%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~27,600
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$69,780
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Active ListeningSpeakingWritingReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What Public Relations Specialists earn in Massachusetts

Jobs in Massachusetts
6,760
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$90,400
median $79,660
Best-paying metro
$93,800
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Related careers

Training and Development Specialists
$86,070 avg · 12,190 jobs
Human Resources Managers
$195,110 avg · 7,540 jobs
Public Relations Specialists
$90,400 avg · 6,760 jobs
Fundraisers
$84,270 avg · 6,160 jobs
Editors
$89,740 avg · 3,100 jobs
Community Health Workers
$56,940 avg · 2,970 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Public Relations programs in Massachusetts.

Which Massachusetts colleges award the most Public Relations degrees?+

Boston University (480 graduates a year), Emerson College (74 graduates a year) and Suffolk University (72 graduates a year) award the most Public Relations degrees in Massachusetts, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 16 Massachusetts colleges offer Public Relations.

What is the best college for Public Relations in Massachusetts?+

By graduate earnings, Endicott College leads among bachelor's Public Relations programs in Massachusetts, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $47,903, College Scorecard. Suffolk University and Emerson College follow. By degrees awarded, Boston University is the largest, with 480 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Public Relations program in Massachusetts has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Endicott College tops the list at $47,903. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Public Relations Specialists earn in Massachusetts?+

The average annual wage for Public Relations Specialists in Massachusetts is $90,400 (median $79,660), across about 6,760 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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card