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Public Relations & Advertising at Wayne State University

Detroit, MI · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $41,306/yr (5% vs median)

AI Risk High (51% exposed)

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

ROI 10.0x earnings multiple (4.7x out-of-state)

Ranked #55 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	$580K	$570K	$522K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	10.1x	10.0x	9.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.8x	4.7x	4.3x
Probability of Field Employment	62%	55%	40%
DegreeOutlook Score	54	53	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)

$57,188

Out-of-state: $121,676 (4.7x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$59,092

-3% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$24,055

7.0 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$58,814

42% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $41,306 track close to the $39,349 national median for Public Relations & Advertising programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The earnings-to-cost ratio of 10.0x 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 10% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $24,055 represents roughly 7 months of the $41,306 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

At #55 of 183 Public Relations & Advertising programs, Wayne State University scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Earnings grow from $41,306 to $58,814 over five years — a 42% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About Wayne State University

Wayne State University has a 82% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, enrolling 15,676 students in Detroit, MI. With 43% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at Wayne 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

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Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Public Relations & Advertising at Wayne State University?

A score of 53/100 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 $522,005 in decade earnings vs $580,151 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

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