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Public Relations & Advertising at South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $39,795/yr (1% vs median)

AI Risk High (51% exposed)

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

ROI 13.8x earnings multiple (10.0x out-of-state)

Ranked #58 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	$517K	$514K	$481K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	13.9x	13.8x	12.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	10.1x	10.0x	9.4x
Probability of Field Employment	62%	55%	40%
DegreeOutlook Score	53	52	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)

$37,196

Out-of-state: $51,236 (10.0x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$72,876

-96% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$24,499

7.4 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$50,823

28% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $39,795/yr, roughly in line with the $39,349 national median for Public Relations & Advertising. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 13.8x 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 7% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $24,499 represents roughly 7 months of the $39,795 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

At #58 of 183 Public Relations & Advertising programs, South Dakota State University scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Earnings grow from $39,795 to $50,823 over five years — a 28% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About South Dakota State University

South Dakota State University accepts 99% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, serving 8,798 students in Brookings, SD.

See all programs and financial aid at South Dakota State 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 South Dakota State 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 South Dakota State University?

A score of 52/100 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 $481,264 in decade earnings vs $516,998 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

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