Home › Washington State University › Public Relations & Advertising

Public Relations & Advertising at Washington State University

Pullman, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $45,820/yr (16% vs median)

AI Risk High (51% exposed)

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

ROI 9.8x earnings multiple (4.4x out-of-state)

Ranked #68 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	$513K	$511K	$479K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	9.9x	9.8x	9.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.4x	4.4x	4.1x
Probability of Field Employment	62%	55%	40%
DegreeOutlook Score	52	51	48

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$51,988

Out-of-state: $116,292 (4.4x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$57,604

-11% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$19,112

5.0 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

At $45,820 per year, Public Relations & Advertising graduates from Washington State University earn slightly above the $39,349 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

The earnings-to-cost ratio of 9.8x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.

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.

The median debt load of $19,112 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

At #68 of 183 Public Relations & Advertising programs, Washington State University scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

About Washington State University

With 85% of applicants admitted, Washington State University prioritizes broad access, serving a student body of 21,583 in Pullman, WA.

See all programs and financial aid at Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington State University?

A score of 51/100 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 $478,541 in decade earnings vs $512,777 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

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