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Communications · Public Relations & Advertising Rank #4 of 183

Public Relations & Advertisingat The University of Texas at Austin

Graduates earn $47,972/yr in their first year — about 22.0% above the national Public Relations & Advertising average. Base-case 10-year earnings $716K; scenarios range from $628K to $744K depending on AI disruption.

Austin, TX Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
68 SOLID
69
Optimistic
65
Pessimistic
Earnings
$47,972
1-year post-graduation
ROI
16.0x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$716K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
53% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at UT Austin

The strong outcomes for UT Austin's Moody College of Communication graduates are no accident. You're not just earning a degree; you're plugging into the vibrant Austin tech and creative scene. The city is a hub for major players like Dell, Oracle, and Indeed, plus a host of influential ad agencies and startups, all of which actively recruit Longhorns for their marketing and communications teams. This direct pipeline to a high-demand, high-salary local job market is a significant advantage. Your career will likely start in a fast-paced corporate or agency role, and with the high AI risk in this field, your most valuable skill will be strategic thinking. To stand out, focus your coursework and internships on a specific industry, like B2B tech or consumer goods, to build specialized expertise that automation can't easily replicate.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$628K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score65/100
Earnings Multiple13.4x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$716K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score68/100
Earnings Multiple15.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$744K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score69/100
Earnings Multiple15.9x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to UT Austin's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Public Relations & Advertising graduates typically work

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.

1
Human resources managers
+5.0% 10-yr growth · 17,900 openings/yr
$140,030/yr
Moderate
2
Public relations managers
+5.0% 10-yr growth · 6,600 openings/yr
$138,520/yr
High
3
Training and development managers
+5.8% 10-yr growth · 3,800 openings/yr
$127,090/yr
High
4
Advertising and promotions managers
-2.2% 10-yr growth · 2,100 openings/yr
$126,960/yr
Moderate
5
Fundraising managers
+4.2% 10-yr growth · 3,600 openings/yr
$123,480/yr
High
6
Agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes
+8.7% 10-yr growth · 2,200 openings/yr
$96,310/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Public Relations & Advertising

How UT Austin stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Syracuse University
NY · Private nonprofit
56
DW Score
$55K
1-yr earn
2.3x
ROI
Same state (TX)
Southern Methodist University
TX · Private nonprofit
52
DW Score
$52K
1-yr earn
2.0x
ROI
Brigham Young University
UT · Private nonprofit
71
DW Score
$51K
1-yr earn
26.4x
ROI
Top score
Miami University-Hamilton
OH · Public
72
DW Score
$51K
1-yr earn
26.2x
ROI
Miami University-Middletown
OH · Public
72
DW Score
$51K
1-yr earn
26.2x
ROI
Also at UT Austin

Other top programs at UT Austin

Other highest-scoring programs offered at UT Austin, 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 →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Public Relations & Advertising at UT Austin

How does The University of Texas at Austin's Public Relations & Advertising program score?

This program scores 68/100, 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.

Why does The University of Texas at Austin rank so high for Public Relations & Advertising?

The #4 ranking out of 183 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.