U.S. median for this major: $62,264.
College Scorecard field of study; 220 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 $24,018. College Scorecard.
ISU 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 ISU'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 | $10,582 | $45,714 | 1.7 years |
| $30–48k | $11,506 | $49,706 | 1.9 years |
| $48–75k | $15,463 | $66,800 | 2.5 years |
| $75–110k | $19,605 | $84,694 | 3.2 years |
| $110k+ | $22,496 | $97,183 | 3.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% 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 ($62,965) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $26,304 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 Iowa colleges
Every Iowa 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 Northern Iowa | $64,067 | $21,096 | $15,901 | 68% |
| 2 | Drake University | $63,302 | $23,250 | $29,127 | 74% |
| 3 | Iowa State University | $62,965 | $24,750 | $18,589 | 75% |
| 4 | Loras College | $62,087 | $26,581 | $20,716 | 68% |
| 5 | Simpson College | $61,219 | — | $21,936 | 63% |
| 6 | Coe College | $60,540 | — | $18,745 | 66% |
10 more Iowa 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 ISU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ISU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,386
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at ISU
- Communications$57,110
- Journalism$53,633
ISU Public Relations and Advertising questions
How much do ISU Public Relations and Advertising graduates earn?
Public Relations and Advertising graduates of Iowa State University earn a median $62,965 four years after graduating and $42,530 one year after. The U.S. median for Public Relations and Advertising graduates across 173 colleges is $62,264.
How much debt do ISU Public Relations and Advertising graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Public Relations and Advertising graduates of Iowa State University is $24,750, about 39% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,722.
Is ISU a good school for Public Relations and Advertising in Iowa?
On pay, Public Relations and Advertising graduates of Iowa State University earn $62,965 four years out, $439 above the median for the same major across 6 Iowa colleges ($62,526) and $701 above the U.S. median ($62,264). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does ISU rank for Public Relations and Advertising in Iowa?
Of 6 Iowa colleges reporting Public Relations and Advertising graduate earnings, Iowa State University ranks 3rd. The highest is University of Northern Iowa at $64,067.
What jobs do Public Relations and Advertising graduates get?
A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $62,970 in the Ames, IA 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: “Iowa State University Public Relations and Advertising: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/iowa-state-university/majors/public-relations-and-advertising (College Scorecard and BLS data).