Best Public Relations Manager programs in North Carolina, ranked by enrollment
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or.
36 schools in North Carolina run programs that feed this job, graduating 2,647 people a year. The job pays a median of $132,280 in North Carolina across about 1,510 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in North Carolina that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
6 programs in North Carolina that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in North Carolina (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own North Carolina page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 09.0101In North Carolina → | 1,335 | 50.4% | 15 | $34,858 | $25,000 |
| 2 | CIP 09.0102In North Carolina → | 776 | 29.3% | 12 | $34,858 | $25,000 |
| 3 | CIP 09.0100In North Carolina → | 331 | 12.5% | 14 | $34,858 | $25,000 |
| 4 | CIP 09.0909In North Carolina → | 137 | 5.2% | 1 | $39,658 | $24,500 |
| 5 | CIP 09.0902In North Carolina → | 48 | 1.8% | 1 | $39,658 | $24,500 |
| 6 | CIP 09.0900In North Carolina → | 20 | 0.8% | 4 | $39,658 | $24,500 |
Top 25 schools in North Carolina
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 21 of the 36 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 544 | Mass Communication/Media Studies | $43,348 | 91% | — | 15% |
| 2 | East Carolina University Greenville, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 293 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | $37,813 | 63% | — | 89% |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 253 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | $38,234 | 69% | — | 80% |
| 4 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 207 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | $39,889 | 85% | — | 42% |
| 5 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 177 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | $36,695 | 71% | — | 64% |
| 6 | Appalachian State University Boone, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 153 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | $38,331 | 75% | — | 90% |
| 7 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 149 | Communication, General | $42,055 | 89% | $20,914 | 22% |
| 8 | Elon University Elon, NC Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 148 | Communication Management and Strategic Communications | — | 84% | $33,688 | 66% |
| 9 | North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 131 | Mass Communication/Media Studies | $28,985 | 57% | — | 50% |
| 10 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC Public · 2 feeder programs | 129 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | $30,559 | 56% | — | 89% |
| 11 | High Point University High Point, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 90 | Communication, General | — | 74% | $37,072 | 75% |
| 12 | Winston - Salem State University Winston-Salem, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 49 | Mass Communication/Media Studies | $24,899 | 47% | — | 78% |
| 13 | Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 41 | Communication, General | $36,279 | 61% | $24,872 | 62% |
| 14 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 41 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | $28,996 | 60% | — | 82% |
| 15 | North Carolina Central University Durham, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 38 | Mass Communication/Media Studies | $25,750 | 42% | — | 87% |
| 16 | University of North Carolina Asheville Asheville, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 32 | Mass Communication/Media Studies | $27,682 | 54% | — | 92% |
| 17 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 26 | Mass Communication/Media Studies | $26,411 | 44% | — | 93% |
| 18 | Fayetteville State University Fayetteville, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 22 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | $24,210 | 38% | — | 82% |
| 19 | Meredith College Raleigh, NC Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 21 | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $40,762 | 70% | $19,552 | 74% |
| 20 | Davidson College Davidson, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 17 | Communication, General | — | 91% | $16,628 | 13% |
| 21 | Barton College Wilson, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 10 | Mass Communication/Media Studies | — | 46% | $23,133 | 94% |
| 22 | Campbell University Buies Creek, NC Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 9 | Communication, General | — | 61% | $23,331 | 87% |
| 23 | Johnson C Smith University Charlotte, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 9 | Mass Communication/Media Studies | $26,090 | 34% | $21,563 | 45% |
| 24 | Wingate University Wingate, NC Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 8 | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $40,438 | 46% | $21,585 | 91% |
| 25 | Catawba College Salisbury, NC Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 7 | Speech Communication and Rhetoric | $32,323 | 47% | $17,916 | 75% |
All 36 schools in North Carolina
Every school in North Carolina with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | Public | 544 | 2 |
| East Carolina University | Greenville | Public | 293 | 1 |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte | Public | 253 | 1 |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Raleigh | Public | 207 | 1 |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | Wilmington | Public | 177 | 1 |
| Appalachian State University | Boone | Public | 153 | 2 |
| Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem | Private not-for-profit | 149 | 1 |
| Elon University | Elon | Private not-for-profit | 148 | 2 |
| North Carolina A & T State University | Greensboro | Public | 131 | 2 |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro | Public | 129 | 2 |
| High Point University | High Point | Private not-for-profit | 90 | 1 |
| Winston - Salem State University | Winston-Salem | Public | 49 | 1 |
| Queens University of Charlotte | Charlotte | Private not-for-profit | 41 | 1 |
| Western Carolina University | Cullowhee | Public | 41 | 1 |
| North Carolina Central University | Durham | Public | 38 | 1 |
What public relations managers earn in North Carolina
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $146,910. North Carolina pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in North Carolina
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Public Relations Managers page.
How to become a Public Relations Manager
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience needed
- 5 years or more
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in North Carolina
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 10 majors mapped to Public Relations Managers10 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 09.0100Communication, General
- 09.0101Speech Communication and Rhetoric
- 09.0102Mass Communication/Media Studies
- 09.0900Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
- 09.0902Public Relations/Image Management
- 09.0904Political Communication
- 09.0907International and Intercultural Communication
- 09.0909Communication Management and Strategic Communications
- 52.0501Business/Corporate Communications, General
- 52.0599Business/Corporate Communications, Other
Common questions
Answers for people weighing public relations managers programs in North Carolina.
What degree do you need to become a Public Relations Manager?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Speech Communication and Rhetoric, which awarded 1,335 degrees in North Carolina in 2024-25, 50.4% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Public Relations Manager?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 6 programs to this occupation. The largest are Communication and Media Studies, Public Relations. Together they graduate about 2,647 people a year in North Carolina.
How much do public relations managers earn in North Carolina?+
The median is $132,280 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 10.0% below the U.S. median of $146,910. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for public relations managers growing?+
BLS projects a +5.0% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, faster than average, with roughly 6,600 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in North Carolina?+
36 institutions in North Carolina reported graduates from at least one of the 6 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do public relations managers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Communications Director, Public Affairs Director, Community Relations Director, Public Relations Director (PR Director) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 11-2032.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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