University of South Carolina-Columbia Public Relations and Advertising: earnings, debt & careers

Public Relations and Advertising graduates of University of South Carolina-Columbia earn a median $65,248 four years after graduating ($42,974 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $24,250. That is $2,984 above the U.S. median for Public Relations and Advertising graduates ($62,264 across 173 colleges), and ranks 2nd of 3 South Carolina colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$65,248

U.S. median for this major: $62,264.

College Scorecard field of study; 239 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$42,974

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$24,250

About 37% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,722.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$22,811 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $31,638. College Scorecard.

University of South Carolina-Columbia Public Relations and Advertising: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

University of South Carolina-Columbia graduates$65,248
South Carolina median (3 colleges)$65,248 (+$0)
U.S. median (173 colleges)$62,264 (+$2,984)

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 University of South Carolina-Columbia's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$12,634$52,1781.6 years
$30–48k$14,953$61,7561.9 years
$48–75k$19,859$82,0182.6 years
$75–110k$24,478$101,0943.2 years
$110k+$28,125$116,1563.7 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (69% 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 ($65,248) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $31,732 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 South Carolina colleges

Every South Carolina college we cover that reports Public Relations and Advertising graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Clemson University$71,968$23,375$22,25387%
2University of South Carolina-Columbia$65,248$24,250$22,81179%
3Benedict College$41,158$38,250$18,25024%

4 more South Carolina colleges offer Public Relations and Advertising but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Public Relations and Advertising graduates

Public relations specialist

Columbia area$61,610
South Carolina$62,730
U.S.$74,750

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +1.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Training and Development Specialists

Columbia area$61,460
South Carolina$63,070
U.S.$69,280

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +10.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Human Resources Managers

Columbia area$109,440
South Carolina$124,290
U.S.$149,280

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 University of South Carolina-Columbia, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About University of South Carolina-Columbia

Related majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia

University of South Carolina-Columbia Public Relations and Advertising questions

How much do University of South Carolina-Columbia Public Relations and Advertising graduates earn?

Public Relations and Advertising graduates of University of South Carolina-Columbia earn a median $65,248 four years after graduating and $42,974 one year after. The U.S. median for Public Relations and Advertising graduates across 173 colleges is $62,264.

How much debt do University of South Carolina-Columbia Public Relations and Advertising graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Public Relations and Advertising graduates of University of South Carolina-Columbia is $24,250, about 37% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,722.

Is University of South Carolina-Columbia a good school for Public Relations and Advertising in South Carolina?

On pay, Public Relations and Advertising graduates of University of South Carolina-Columbia earn $65,248 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 3 South Carolina colleges ($65,248) and $2,984 above the U.S. median ($62,264). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does University of South Carolina-Columbia rank for Public Relations and Advertising in South Carolina?

Of 3 South Carolina colleges reporting Public Relations and Advertising graduate earnings, University of South Carolina-Columbia ranks 2nd. The highest is Clemson University at $71,968.

What jobs do Public Relations and Advertising graduates get?

A common career is public relations specialist, with a median wage of $61,610 in the Columbia, SC 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
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Cite this: “University of South Carolina-Columbia Public Relations and Advertising: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-columbia/majors/public-relations-and-advertising (College Scorecard and BLS data).