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Public Relations & Advertising at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $48,063/yr (22% vs median)

AI Risk High (51% exposed)

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

ROI 10.6x earnings multiple (4.9x out-of-state)

Ranked #11 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	$705K	$682K	$603K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	11.0x	10.6x	9.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.1x	4.9x	4.4x
Probability of Field Employment	62%	55%	40%
DegreeOutlook Score	64	63	60

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$64,016

Out-of-state: $138,004 (4.9x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$60,804

5% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$21,875

5.5 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$75,277

57% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $48,063 at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign come in 22% above the national median of $39,349 for Public Relations & Advertising programs.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 10.6x 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 15% gap from the optimistic case.

With first-year pay of $48,063 far exceeding the $21,875 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #11 of 183 programs, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Public Relations & Advertising program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Five-year earnings of $75,277 show a 57% jump from the $48,063 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

About University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

A 44% admission rate makes University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign accessible to a wide range of qualified students, with 34,623 students enrolled in Champaign, IL.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign →

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

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Public Relations & Advertising at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign?

A score of 63/100 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 $602,838 in decade earnings vs $705,455 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

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