Best Public Relations Schools Near Paragould, AR (2026)

Paragould, Arkansas has 5 accredited schools offering public relations programs, with tuition ranging from $8,090 to $40,025 per year for indexed programs. Paragould has a population of about 29,940. Median household income is $56,181 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 16.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Arkansas, the top-earning public relations-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $104,170 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Public Relations Schools to Paragould

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public relations programs near Paragould, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Paragould city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Paragould. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Arkansas State University

Jonesboro, AR 17.1 miles from Paragould
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
51.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 82%
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,617
Avg net price $12,366/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,090
Out‑of‑state$14,522
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Harding University

Searcy, AR 88.1 miles from Paragould
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
63.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,876
Avg net price $22,130/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Central Arkansas

Conway, AR 128.4 miles from Paragould
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
45.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,938
Avg net price $16,511/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR 204.1 miles from Paragould
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
70.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,191
Avg net price $18,209/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,104
Out‑of‑state$29,966
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Arkansas schools on the Arkansas public relations page.


Public Relations Wages Near Paragould

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Arkansas, statewide)
Public Relations Specialist$65,000
Public Relations Manager$104,170
News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist$37,450

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Paragould at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population29,940Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$56,181Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+16.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Paragould-Area Cities With Public Relations Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public relations schools are near Paragould, AR?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering public relations programs near Paragould. The closest is Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, AR (17.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Union University (96.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying public relations roles in Arkansas?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public relations-related roles in Arkansas are: Public Relations Manager ($104,170), Public Relations Specialist ($65,000), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($37,450). Wages for Paragould workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Jonesboro instead of Paragould?

Jonesboro, AR is 18.7 miles from Paragould and has its own set of local public relations programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Paragould an affordable place to study public relations?

Paragould’s median household income of $56,181 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Paragould while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Arkansas public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Public Relations Programs

Other Programs Available in Paragould

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Paragould:

Data verified: August 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.