WhatGradsMake
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

Graduates of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's bachelor's program in Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication earn a median $47,959 one year after graduating, rising to $115,999 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 26% above the national median of $62,871 for this field, ranking 4th of 79 reporting programs.

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

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

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