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Public Relations & Advertising at California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
35 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
36
Optimistic
35
Base Case
40
Pessimistic
Earnings $28,226/yr (-28% vs median)
AI Risk High (51% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (161,400 openings/yr)
ROI 14.3x earnings multiple (5.3x out-of-state)
Ranked #160 of 183 Public Relations & Advertising programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Public Relations & Advertising graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $389K $400K $398K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 13.9x 14.3x 14.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.1x 5.3x 5.3x
Probability of Field Employment 62% 55% 40%
DegreeOutlook Score 36 35 40

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$28,032
Out-of-state: $75,552 (5.3x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$35,724
-27% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$22,976
9.8 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $28,226 place California State University-Long Beach below the $39,349 national median for Public Relations & Advertising — worth weighing against tuition and cost of living.

The 14.3x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 51% task exposure — and the -3% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $22,976 debt-to-$28,226 income ratio translates to about 10 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

At #160 out of 183 programs, California State University-Long Beach's financial outcomes for Public Relations & Advertising trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

About California State University-Long Beach

A 47% admission rate makes California State University-Long Beach accessible to a wide range of qualified students, one of the larger campuses at 34,131 students in Long Beach, CA. With 49% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-Long Beach →

Top Career Paths

Human resources managers $140,030/yr
Public relations managers $138,520/yr
Training and development managers $127,090/yr
View all 17 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 183 schools offering Public Relations & Advertising →

Public Relations & Advertising at Other Schools

Syracuse University ($54,934) Southern Methodist University ($51,828) Brigham Young University ($51,436) Assumption University ($51,114) Miami University-Hamilton ($50,700) Miami University-Middletown ($50,700) Miami University-Oxford ($50,700) National University ($50,070)

Other Majors at California State University-Long Beach

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($100,178) Construction Engineering Technologies ($89,003) Computer Engineering ($79,809) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($77,278) Civil Engineering ($73,342) Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering ($66,477) Biomedical/Medical Engineering ($66,090) Mechanical Engineering ($60,996)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Public Relations & Advertising trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does California State University-Long Beach's Public Relations & Advertising program score?
This program scores 35/100 — on the lower end for Public Relations & Advertising. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Public Relations & Advertising to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Public Relations & Advertising careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 51% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why are Public Relations & Advertising earnings lower at California State University-Long Beach?
Lower starting pay at California State University-Long Beach may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →