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Public Relations & Advertising at Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, KY · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $41,842/yr (6% vs median)

AI Risk High (51% exposed)

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

ROI 11.9x earnings multiple (6.1x out-of-state)

Ranked #53 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	$524K	$520K	$486K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	12.0x	11.9x	11.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	6.1x	6.1x	5.7x
Probability of Field Employment	62%	55%	40%
DegreeOutlook Score	54	53	52

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$43,584

Out-of-state: $85,920 (6.1x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$28,672

34% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$24,225

6.9 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$52,164

25% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Northern Kentucky University's Public Relations & Advertising graduates start at $41,842/yr — above the $39,349 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The 11.9x 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 7% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $24,225 debt-to-$41,842 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #53 out of 183 programs, Northern Kentucky University's Public Relations & Advertising offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $41,842 to $52,164 shows 25% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About Northern Kentucky University

A 96% acceptance rate means Northern Kentucky University is accessible to most applicants, with a mid-sized student body of 8,065 in Highland Heights, KY. The average net cost of $28,672 over four years represents a 34% discount from published tuition.

See all programs and financial aid at Northern Kentucky 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 Kentucky University

Explore the Trade Alternative

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Northern Kentucky University's Public Relations & Advertising program score?

This program scores 53/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Public Relations & Advertising graduates.

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.

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