Best colleges for Public Relations in Ohio
Ranked by graduate earnings
Miami University - Oxford, Bowling Green State University and University of Akron Main Campus are the top bachelor's Public Relations programs in Ohio by graduate earnings. Miami University - Oxford leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $50,700, College Scorecard. Miami University - Oxford, University of Cincinnati and Kent State University at Kent award the most Public Relations degrees in Ohio: 150, 69 and 57 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 31 Ohio colleges offer Public Relations and award 626 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…
Top 10 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.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami University - Oxford Oxford Public · Bachelor's degree | $50,700 | 150 | 80% | — | $25,000 |
| 2 | Bowling Green State University Bowling Green Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,296 | 28 | 64% | — | $22,519 |
| 3 | University of Akron Main Campus Akron Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,396 | 25 | 52% | — | $27,000 |
| 4 | Kent State University at Kent Kent Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,867 | 57 | 64% | — | $25,000 |
| 5 | Cleveland State University Cleveland Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,027 | 50 | 51% | — | $26,750 |
| 6 | Franklin University Columbus Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Online | $46,518 | 37 | 11% | $22,280 | $42,017 |
| 7 | Capital University Columbus Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $45,235 | 6 | 60% | $22,920 | $27,000 |
| 8 | Xavier University Cincinnati Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $41,958 | 9 | 69% | $31,119 | $26,515 |
| 9 | Otterbein University Westerville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $37,430 | 6 | 68% | $20,150 | $23,800 |
| 10 | Baldwin Wallace University Berea Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $36,620 | 6 | 67% | $25,104 | $26,500 |
Top 2 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio Media School - Valley View Valley View Private for-profit · Certificate Small program | $15,718 | 4 | 66% | $26,225 | $15,833 |
| 2 | Ohio Media School - Cincinnati Norwood Private for-profit · Certificate Small program | $14,229 | 2 | 65% | $25,812 | $9,500 |
Colleges awarding the most Public Relations degrees in Ohio
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.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami University - Oxford Oxford Public | 150 | $50,700 |
| 2 | University of Cincinnati Cincinnati Public | 69 | Not reported |
| 3 | Kent State University at Kent Kent Public | 57 | $40,867 |
| 4 | Cleveland State University Cleveland Public | 50 | $38,027 |
| 5 | Ohio University Athens Public | 45 | Not reported |
| 6 | Ohio State University Columbus Public | 34 | Not reported |
| 7 | Bowling Green State University Bowling Green Public | 28 | $42,296 |
| 8 | University of Akron Main Campus Akron Public | 25 | $41,396 |
| 9 | Sinclair Community College Dayton Public | 24 | Not reported |
| 10 | Marietta College Marietta Private not-for-profit | 13 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 21 Ohio colleges offering Public Relations
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin University (Online) | Columbus | Private not-for-profit | 37 |
| University of Dayton | Dayton | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Ohio Dominican University | Columbus | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Xavier University | Cincinnati | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College | Blue Ash | Public | 8 |
| University of Mount Union | Alliance | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| University of Toledo | Toledo | Public | 8 |
| Baldwin Wallace University | Berea | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Capital University | Columbus | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Otterbein University | Westerville | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Ashland University | Ashland | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Ohio Media School - Valley View | Valley View | Private for-profit | 4 |
| Muskingum University | New Concord | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| University of Akron Wayne College | Orrville | Public | 2 |
| The University of Findlay | Findlay | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Lake Erie College | Painesville | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Miami University - Hamilton | Hamilton | Public | 2 |
| Ohio Media School - Cincinnati | Norwood | Private for-profit | 2 |
| Davis College | Toledo | Private for-profit | 1 |
| Miami University - Middletown | Middletown | Public | 1 |
| Ohio Northern University | Ada | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Public Relations Specialists (SOC 27-3031).
Top skills
What Public Relations Specialists earn in Ohio
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Public Relations programs in Ohio.
Which Ohio colleges award the most Public Relations degrees?+
Miami University - Oxford (150 graduates a year), University of Cincinnati (69 graduates a year) and Kent State University at Kent (57 graduates a year) award the most Public Relations degrees in Ohio, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 31 Ohio colleges offer Public Relations.
What is the best college for Public Relations in Ohio?+
By graduate earnings, Miami University - Oxford leads among bachelor's Public Relations programs in Ohio, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $50,700, College Scorecard. Bowling Green State University and University of Akron Main Campus follow. By degrees awarded, Miami University - Oxford is the largest, with 150 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Public Relations program in Ohio has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Miami University - Oxford tops the list at $50,700. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Public Relations Specialists earn in Ohio?+
The average annual wage for Public Relations Specialists in Ohio is $74,520 (median $64,840), across about 6,670 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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