Public Relations & Advertisingat Iowa State University
Graduates earn $42,530/yr in their first year — about 8.0% above the national Public Relations & Advertising average. Base-case 10-year earnings $601K; scenarios range from $544K to $615K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Iowa State University
First-year earnings of $42,530 at Iowa State University come in 8% above the national median of $39,349 for Public Relations & Advertising programs.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 14.3x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Public Relations & Advertising programs nationally.
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 11% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $23,125 represents roughly 7 months of the $42,530 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #15 of 183 programs, Iowa State University's Public Relations & Advertising program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.
Earnings grow from $42,530 to $63,153 over five years — a 48% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.
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 Iowa State 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 Iowa State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Iowa State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Iowa State 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 Iowa State University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Public Relations & Advertising at Iowa State University?
A score of 60/100 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 $544,211 in decade earnings vs $614,577 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.