Bachelor's+25% vs national median4,130 grads tracked
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Pennsylvania State University (The)
Ranked 5th of 79 bachelor's programs in Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$47,410
middle 50%: $36,175 – $58,773
Median · 5 years out
$78,752
middle 50%: $59,065 – $101,346
Median · 10 years out
$105,989
middle 50%: $72,636 – $151,075
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 majors at Pennsylvania State University start with a median salary of $47k. This figure grows to $79k by year five and $106k by year ten.
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
≈ $6,538 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
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
$78,953 · 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
Other majors at Pennsylvania State University (The)
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$182,178 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$177,057 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$143,044 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$135,252 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$130,869 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$122,394 · 5 yrs out
Petroleum Engineering (Bachelor's)
$116,440 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$115,495 · 5 yrs out
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's)
$115,004 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$114,831 · 5 yrs out
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's)
$114,734 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$114,727 · 5 yrs out
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