Best Public Relations Schools Near Hanford, CA (2026)

Updated August 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Hanford, California is home to about 59,389 residents. Median household income is $73,544 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning public relations-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $167,980 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Public Relations Schools to Hanford

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public relations programs near Hanford, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Hanford 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 Hanford. 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

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA 140.2 miles from Hanford
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
71.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 66%
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,396
Avg net price $17,890/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,005
Out‑of‑state$50,205
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 141.5 miles from Hanford
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
86.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,988
Avg net price $13,760/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks, CA 151.6 miles from Hanford
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
68.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,712
Avg net price $30,109/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Pepperdine University

Malibu, CA 166.8 miles from Hanford
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
72.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $82,939
Avg net price $58,098/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Santa Monica College

Santa Monica, CA 172.9 miles from Hanford
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
63.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,193
Avg net price $2,779/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA 176.7 miles from Hanford
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
80.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,498
Avg net price $32,740/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, CA 181.5 miles from Hanford
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
72.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,677
Avg net price $22,212/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA 184.0 miles from Hanford
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
70.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $89,812
Avg net price $41,431/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Public Relations Wages Near Hanford

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (California, statewide)
Public Relations Specialist$85,030
Public Relations Manager$167,980
News Analyst, Reporter, and JournalistN/A

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.

Hanford at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population59,389Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$73,544Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)101.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Hanford-Area Cities With Public Relations Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public relations-related roles in California are: Public Relations Manager ($167,980), Public Relations Specialist ($85,030). Wages for Hanford workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Lemoore instead of Hanford?

Lemoore, CA is 8.3 miles from Hanford 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 Hanford an affordable place to study public relations?

Hanford’s median household income of $73,544 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hanford while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California 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 Hanford

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

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.

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