Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?
National picture across 11 reporting college programs.
$44,556 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
Observed national outcomes
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $44,556
- Federal debt
- $15,833
- Reporting programs
- 11
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $54,879
- Federal debt
- $12,000
- Reporting programs
- 1
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $62,087
- Federal debt
- $24,693
- Reporting programs
- 198
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $81,298
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 30
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Northern Arizona University$78,0572University of Georgia$72,6263Boise State University$61,5444University of Kentucky$57,7115Illinois Media School$44,5566Illinois Media School-Chicago Campus$44,5567Ohio Media School-Valley View$31,4738Colorado Media School$31,4739Ohio Media School-Columbus$31,47310Ohio Media School-Cincinnati$27,858Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Arizona UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Flagstaff, AZ | $78,057 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,158 |
| 2 | University of GeorgiaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Athens, GA | $72,626 | $25,000 | Baseline needed | $13,936 |
| 3 | Boise State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Boise, ID | $61,544 | $22,977 | Baseline needed | $21,610 |
| 4 | University of KentuckyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Lexington, KY | $57,711 | $25,000 | Baseline needed | $18,851 |
| 5 | Illinois Media SchoolUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Chicago, IL | $44,556 | $15,833 | Baseline needed | $27,238 |
| 6 | Illinois Media School-Chicago CampusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Chicago, IL | $44,556 | $15,833 | Baseline needed | $26,435 |
| 7 | Ohio Media School-Valley ViewUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Valley View, OH | $31,473 | $15,833 | Baseline needed | $24,111 |
| 8 | Colorado Media SchoolUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Denver, CO | $31,473 | $15,833 | Baseline needed | $30,514 |
| 9 | Ohio Media School-ColumbusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Columbus, OH | $31,473 | $15,833 | Baseline needed | $24,913 |
| 10 | Ohio Media School-CincinnatiUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Norwood, OH | $27,858 | $9,500 | Baseline needed | $25,659 |
| 11 | Miami Media SchoolUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Doral, FL | $27,858 | $9,500 | Baseline needed | $29,429 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.