Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at American University
Washington, DC · Bachelor's Degree · about 107 graduates a year
American University graduates in public relations, advertising, and applied communication earn 23% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 34% of one year’s pay at that point.
How American University Compares for Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
All 178 colleges reporting public relations, advertising, and applied communication earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | Adj. rank | 1 yr after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syracuse University Syracuse, NY | $90,535 | $86,171 | #3 | $54,934 |
| 2 | Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | $89,330 | $90,822 | #1 | $51,828 |
| 3 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | $87,946 | $80,025 | #11 | $50,041 |
| 4 | George Washington University Washington, DC | $85,459 | $74,884 | #27 | — |
| 5 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL | $83,451 | $81,990 | #8 | $48,063 |
| 6 | University of Miami Coral Gables, FL | $82,999 | $88,342 | #2 | $43,917 |
| 7 | Pepperdine University Malibu, CA | $81,417 | $74,084 | #28 | $45,988 |
| 8 | University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | $81,285 | $73,964 | #31 | $37,856 |
| 9 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT | $80,841 | $76,618 | #21 | $51,436 |
| 10 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX | $80,221 | $81,561 | #9 | $47,972 |
| … | |||||
| 13 | Miami University-Middletown Middletown, OH | $79,710 | $85,063 | #6 | $50,700 |
| 14 | Miami University-Oxford Oxford, OH | $79,710 | $85,063 | #7 | $50,700 |
| 15 | Pace University New York, NY | $79,376 | $75,550 | #25 | $44,485 |
| 16 | American University Washington, DC | $78,410 | $68,707 | #51 | $50,026 |
| 17 | Endicott College Beverly, MA | $77,253 | $68,029 | #53 | $47,903 |
| 18 | Pacific Union College Angwin, CA | $77,121 | $70,175 | #45 | — |
| 19 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence Providence, RI | $77,025 | $75,862 | #23 | $49,033 |
Other Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Credentials at American University
| Credential | 1 yr after | 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $63,727 | $97,932 | $53,268 |
Other Majors at American University by Graduate Pay
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do American University public relations, advertising, and applied communication graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $50,026 one year after graduating and $78,410 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does American University rank for public relations, advertising, and applied communication?
Among 178 colleges reporting earnings for public relations, advertising, and applied communication graduates, American University ranks #16 by median pay four years after graduation, and #51 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is public relations, advertising, and applied communication at American University worth it?
Its graduates earn 23% more than the national median for public relations, advertising, and applied communication ($63,560), and the median federal debt at graduation is $26,442.
← All data for American University · Methodology
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.