Public Relations major
Public Relations: courses, careers, and where to study
Public Relations trains students to shape an organization's reputation through media relations, messaging, and crisis communication, suiting strong writers who like persuasion and strategy.
A Public Relations major, usually a bachelor's degree, covers media relations, strategic messaging, crisis and reputation management, campaign planning, and PR writing across press releases, pitches, and social channels. Coursework typically includes communication theory, PR research and measurement, media law and ethics, and a portfolio-building capstone, with most programs requiring an internship at an agency, nonprofit, corporate communications team, or government office.
Graduates write and place stories with journalists, manage social and digital channels, plan events and announcements, draft executive communications, and coordinate responses during a crisis. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, public relations specialists earned a median wage of $69,780 in 2024, and the occupation is projected to grow 4.8% from 2024 to 2034. Entry-level specialist roles generally require a bachelor's degree, while senior management positions, such as public relations and fundraising manager, often expect substantial experience and sometimes a graduate degree.
The major pairs naturally with a Marketing, Journalism, or Political Science double major or minor, and overlaps heavily with broader Communications programs.
Academic classification (CIP)
In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Public Relations maps to CIP 09.0902, Public Relations/Image Management, within the COMMUNICATION, JOURNALISM, AND RELATED PROGRAMS family. The official definition:
A program that focuses on the theories and methods for managing the media image of a business, organization, or individual and the communication process with stakeholders, constituencies, audiences, and the general public; and that prepares individuals to function as public relations assistants, technicians, and managers. Includes instruction in public relations theory; related principles of advertising, marketing, and journalism; message/image design; image management; special event management; media relations; community relations; public affairs; and internal communications.
Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov
What credential Public Relations is awarded as
Of the 4,010 Public Relations credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2023-24:
- Certificate3%112
- Associate<1%25
- Bachelor's85%3,421
- Graduate11%452
CampusPin does not have enough states reporting this field to say whether the mix changes from state to state. See the full study.
Credentials conferred in 2023-24, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.
What you'll study
- Media relations and pitching to journalists
- PR writing: press releases, pitches, fact sheets, op-eds
- Strategic message development and campaign planning
- Crisis communication and reputation management
- Communication research and measuring campaign results
- Media law, ethics, and disclosure rules
- Social and digital media management for organizations
- Internship and portfolio capstone
Typical careers
- Public relations specialists
- Media Relations Coordinator
- Communications Specialist
- Social Media Manager
- Public relations and fundraising managers
- Corporate Communications Associate
Typical salary range: BLS, 2024: public relations specialists median $69,780Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.
Related occupations
Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Public Relations, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.
| Occupation | Median pay | Openings / yr | Projected change | Most entrants hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Relations Specialists | $69,780 | 27,600 | +4.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Fundraisers | $66,490 | 10,200 | +4.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Public Relations Managers | $138,520 | 6,600 | +5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Fundraising Managers | $123,480 | 3,600 | +4.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | $77,800 | 2,700 | +2.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Advertising and Promotions Managers | $126,960 | 2,100 | -2.2% | Bachelor's degree |
Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 6 of these 6 occupations report a median wage.
“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Public Relations does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.
Before you commit to a Public Relations major
CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Public Relations program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.
Ask the Public Relations department
- Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
- What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
- What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
- Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?
Ask current students & check the curriculum
- How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
- What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
- Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
- How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Find a Public Relations program
CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.
Colleges that awarded the most Public Relations credentials
Largest by credentials conferred in 2023-24. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.
- The University of AlabamaAL · 212
- University of FloridaFL · 173
- Boston UniversityMA · 170
- University of GeorgiaGA · 158
- University of OregonOR · 149
- Texas State UniversityTX · 140
- Texas Tech UniversityTX · 138
- The University of Texas at AustinTX · 134
- Syracuse UniversityNY · 126
- Auburn UniversityAL · 110
- University of Rhode IslandRI · 102
- Georgetown UniversityDC · 94
Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2023-24. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Where Public Relations credentials were awarded
11 states have a distinct enough set of Public Relations colleges to be worth its own page.
Search Public Relations schools by state
Related majors
Communications
Communications studies how messages move through media, combining writing, public speaking, and media analysis with hands-on training in PR, journalism, broadcasting, or strategic communication.
Marketing
Marketing majors learn how to identify, reach, and convert customers, combining strategy, consumer behavior, digital channels, brand management, and analytics.
Journalism
Journalism teaches students to report, write, and verify news across print, broadcast, and digital media, suiting people drawn to research, storytelling, and the public interest.
Political Science
Political Science studies governments, political behavior, and policy, preparing graduates for law school, public service, journalism, and policy research.
Put this major in context
The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Public Relations degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.
Explore Management careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
Explore Business & Finance careers
Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.
How one major leads to many careers
Why a single Public Relations degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.
Why a median wage is not a starting salary
How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.
When accreditation and licensure matter
How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Public Relations path before you enroll.
Does a pricier college pay off?
How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.
Does picking a major narrow your college list?
Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.
Certificate or degree?
What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.
How this guide is sourced
This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.