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Public Relations & Advertising at The University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa, AL · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $42,445/yr (8% vs median)

AI Risk High (51% exposed)

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

ROI 12.8x earnings multiple (4.6x out-of-state)

Ranked #18 of 183 Public Relations & Advertising programs Top 10%

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	$623K	$609K	$550K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	13.1x	12.8x	11.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.7x	4.6x	4.1x
Probability of Field Employment	62%	55%	40%
DegreeOutlook Score	60	59	58

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$47,600

Out-of-state: $132,800 (4.6x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$88,600

-86% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$24,889

7.0 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$64,089

51% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $42,445/yr, edging above the $39,349 national average for Public Relations & Advertising — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

The 12.8x 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 12% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $24,889 debt-to-$42,445 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

A #18 ranking out of 183 Public Relations & Advertising programs nationally puts The University of Alabama in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.

Earnings growth from $42,445 to $64,089 over five years (51% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About The University of Alabama

The University of Alabama has a 76% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, serving a student body of 32,323 in Tuscaloosa, AL.

See all programs and financial aid at The University of Alabama →

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

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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

How does The University of Alabama's Public Relations & Advertising program score?

This program scores 59/100, 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 →