Degree Dividend
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Best colleges for Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication in California

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

Program-level earnings — not school prestige — rank these. Among the California programs in the federal field-of-study file, University of Southern California leads: its Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication graduates earn a median $87,946 four years after finishing, against the field's $63,560 national median. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026.)

California Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication programs by graduate earnings
#CollegeGrad earnings, 4 yrsVs field median
1University of Southern California$87,946+$24,386
2Pepperdine University$81,417+$17,857
3University of San Francisco$81,285+$17,725
4Chapman University$80,139+$16,579

How big is the earnings gap between California Public Relations programs?

$7,807 separates the top and bottom of this list — $87,946 at University of Southern California against $80,139 at Chapman University, four years after finishing. Same field, same state, same federal measure: where you study moves pay by that much.

Do California Public Relations graduates earn more than the national median?

The state's strongest program pays $24,386 above the $63,560 national median for the field. Program-level medians come from federal tax records of graduates who received aid, so they track actual pay rather than advertised salaries.

Frequently asked questions

Which California college is best for Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication?
By graduate earnings, University of Southern California — its Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication bachelor's graduates earn a median $87,946 four years out, the highest of the 4 California programs in the federal file.
What do Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication graduates earn in California?
Across the ranked California programs, median earnings four years after completion run from $80,139 to $87,946. The field's national median is $63,560.
Is a Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication degree worth it?
On national medians, yes — Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication graduates earn $15,200/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. See the full field profile for payback math.