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Public Relations & Advertising at University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $43,755/yr (11% vs median)

AI Risk High (51% exposed)

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

ROI 14.3x earnings multiple (6.5x out-of-state)

Ranked #20 of 183 Public Relations & Advertising programs Top 25%

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	$564K	$556K	$512K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	14.5x	14.3x	13.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	6.6x	6.5x	6.0x
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)

$38,912

Out-of-state: $85,088 (6.5x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$58,436

-50% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$19,500

5.3 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$57,636

32% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $43,755/yr, edging above the $39,349 national average for Public Relations & Advertising — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

The 14.3x 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 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $19,500 in median debt against $43,755 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #20 out of 183 programs, University of Northern Iowa's Public Relations & Advertising program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $43,755 to $57,636 shows 32% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About University of Northern Iowa

University of Northern Iowa has a 94% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, with a mid-sized student body of 7,599 in Cedar Falls, IA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Northern Iowa →

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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Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Northern Iowa'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.

Why does University of Northern Iowa rank so high for Public Relations & Advertising?

The #20 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.

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