Bachelor's+26% vs national median2,411 grads tracked
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Ranked 4th of 79 bachelor's programs in Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$47,959
middle 50%: $38,435 – $58,071
Median · 5 years out
$78,953
middle 50%: $60,609 – $100,825
Median · 10 years out
$115,999
middle 50%: $81,428 – $159,023
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Public relations graduates see $48k in median first-year earnings. By year ten, the median salary is $116k.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
5.6 yrs
≈ $6,487 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Colorado Boulder
$85,274 · 5 yrs out
Miami University
$81,760 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Austin
$81,061 · 5 yrs out
Pennsylvania State University (The)
$78,752 · 5 yrs out
Quinnipiac University
$78,691 · 5 yrs out
Fashion Institute of Technology
$74,419 · 5 yrs out
University of Oklahoma
$73,143 · 5 yrs out
University of Oregon
$72,452 · 5 yrs out
University of Georgia
$72,343 · 5 yrs out
Loyola University Chicago
$72,294 · 5 yrs out
Elmhurst University
$70,944 · 5 yrs out
Penn State World Campus
$68,702 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$226,077 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$206,093 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$177,207 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$176,681 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$173,815 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$164,239 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$159,201 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$152,834 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$151,479 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Doctorate)
$126,011 · 5 yrs out
Legal Professions and Studies (Doctorate)
$125,106 · 5 yrs out
Law (Doctorate)
$125,106 · 5 yrs out
Related fields of study
Communication and Media Studies
Compare universities
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
Compare universities
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
Compare universities
Journalism
Compare universities
Publishing
Compare universities
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
Compare universities