U.S. median for this major: $62,264.
College Scorecard field of study; 103 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 39% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,722.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $51,889. College Scorecard.
Columbia College Chicago Public Relations and Advertising: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Public Relations and Advertising nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Columbia College Chicago's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $20,924 | $90,810 | 2.9 years |
| $30–48k | $21,423 | $92,976 | 3.0 years |
| $48–75k | $25,590 | $111,061 | 3.6 years |
| $75–110k | $31,677 | $137,478 | 4.4 years |
| $110k+ | $36,436 | $158,132 | 5.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (39% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Public Relations and Advertising graduates 4 years after graduating ($66,798) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $31,001 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Public Relations and Advertising at Illinois colleges
Every Illinois college we cover that reports Public Relations and Advertising graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $83,451 | $23,250 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 2 | DePaul University | $71,045 | $24,500 | $30,902 | 68% |
| 3 | Loyola University Chicago | $68,942 | $25,000 | $36,079 | 73% |
| 4 | Illinois State University | $67,752 | $22,500 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 5 | Columbia College Chicago | $66,798 | $26,000 | $26,598 | 52% |
| 6 | North Central College | $60,573 | $26,899 | $21,044 | 64% |
| 7 | Lewis University | $59,981 | — | $17,028 | 67% |
| 8 | Eastern Illinois University | $59,401 | $23,745 | $12,786 | 47% |
| 9 | Bradley University | $58,515 | $26,819 | $22,719 | 76% |
| 10 | Olivet Nazarene University | $56,435 | — | $20,729 | 61% |
12 more Illinois colleges offer Public Relations and Advertising but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Public Relations and Advertising graduates
Public relations specialist
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +1.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Training and Development Specialists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +10.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Human Resources Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Columbia College Chicago, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Columbia College Chicago
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 52% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $42,195
- Full cost breakdown · all 26 majors · overview
Related majors at Columbia College Chicago
- Communications—
- Journalism$51,639
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$54,357
- Graphic Communications$43,970
Columbia College Chicago Public Relations and Advertising questions
How much do Columbia College Chicago Public Relations and Advertising graduates earn?
Public Relations and Advertising graduates of Columbia College Chicago earn a median $66,798 four years after graduating and $39,794 one year after. The U.S. median for Public Relations and Advertising graduates across 173 colleges is $62,264.
How much debt do Columbia College Chicago Public Relations and Advertising graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Public Relations and Advertising graduates of Columbia College Chicago is $26,000, about 39% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,722.
Is Columbia College Chicago a good school for Public Relations and Advertising in Illinois?
On pay, Public Relations and Advertising graduates of Columbia College Chicago earn $66,798 four years out, $3,112 above the median for the same major across 10 Illinois colleges ($63,686) and $4,534 above the U.S. median ($62,264). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Columbia College Chicago rank for Public Relations and Advertising in Illinois?
Of 10 Illinois colleges reporting Public Relations and Advertising graduate earnings, Columbia College Chicago ranks 5th. The highest is University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign at $83,451.
What jobs do Public Relations and Advertising graduates get?
A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $77,050 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area and $74,750 nationally. Others include training and development specialists and human resources managers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Columbia College Chicago Public Relations and Advertising: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/columbia-college-chicago/majors/public-relations-and-advertising (College Scorecard and BLS data).