Home › Northern Arizona University › Public Relations & Advertising

Public Relations & Advertising at Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, AZ · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $36,920/yr (-6% vs median)

AI Risk High (51% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (161,400 openings/yr)

ROI 10.9x earnings multiple (4.8x out-of-state)

Ranked #84 of 183 Public Relations & Advertising programs Top 50%

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	$558K	$550K	$507K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	11.0x	10.9x	10.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.8x	4.8x	4.4x
Probability of Field Employment	62%	55%	40%
DegreeOutlook Score	48	47	49

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$50,608

Out-of-state: $115,600 (4.8x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$59,688

-18% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$20,500

6.7 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$54,715

48% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Northern Arizona University's Public Relations & Advertising program produces graduates earning $36,920/yr — within striking distance of the $39,349 national average for this field.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 10.9x 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 9% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $20,500 represents roughly 7 months of the $36,920 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

At #84 of 183 Public Relations & Advertising programs, Northern Arizona University scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Earnings grow from $36,920 to $54,715 over five years — a 48% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About Northern Arizona University

A 91% acceptance rate means Northern Arizona University is accessible to most applicants, one of the larger campuses at 23,041 students in Flagstaff, AZ.

See all programs and financial aid at Northern Arizona University →

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

Public Relations & Advertising at Other Schools

Other Majors at Northern Arizona University

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Public Relations & Advertising at Northern Arizona University?

A score of 47/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Public Relations & Advertising. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

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 $507,404 in decade earnings vs $557,519 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →