Public Relations & Advertisingat American University
Graduates earn $50,026/yr in their first year — about 27.0% above the national Public Relations & Advertising average. Base-case 10-year earnings $847K; scenarios range from $723K to $892K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at American University
At $50,026 per year, Public Relations & Advertising graduates from American University significantly outpace the $39,349 national average for this major, reflecting strong employer demand for this program's graduates.
An earnings multiple of 3.7x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.
Some AI exposure exists in Public Relations & Advertising's typical career paths, with 51% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 19% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $26,442 represents roughly 6 months of the $50,026 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #19 of 183 programs, American University's Public Relations & Advertising program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.
Five-year earnings of $94,957 show a 90% jump from the $50,026 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to American University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Public Relations & Advertising
How American University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at American University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at American University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Public Relations & Advertising offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Public Relations & Advertising trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Public Relations & Advertising at American University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Public Relations & Advertising at American University?
A score of 59/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Public Relations & Advertising field.
Will AI replace Public Relations & Advertising careers?
With 51% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $723,220 in decade earnings vs $892,065 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.