Palm Springs, California has 15 accredited schools offering public relations programs, with tuition ranging from $1,164 to $64,984 per year for indexed programs. Palm Springs has a population of about 44,998. Median household income is $71,979 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 45.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, the top-earning public relations-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $141,230 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Public Relations Schools to Palm Springs
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public relations programs near Palm Springs, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Palm Springs 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Palm Springs.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$61,504
Avg net price
$26,285/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 74%
- Programs offered: 46
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$61,824
Avg net price
$45,566/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 80%
- Programs offered: 26
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$67,548
Avg net price
$22,878/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 53%
- Programs offered: 53
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$70,070
Avg net price
$46,555/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 91%
- Programs offered: 29
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
36%
Graduation rate
77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$64,909
Avg net price
$15,364/yr
TuitionIn‑state$8,728
Out‑of‑state$21,328
Key stats- Retention rate: 90%
- Programs offered: 57
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$66,677
Avg net price
$22,212/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 84%
- Programs offered: 41
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$56,778
Avg net price
$31,495/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 85%
- Programs offered: 26
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$63,998
Avg net price
$38,729/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 86%
- Programs offered: 25
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California public relations page.
Public Relations Wages Near Palm Springs
Palm Springs is part of the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area (BLS area code 40140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | $77,010 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $72,378 |
| Public Relations Manager | $141,230 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $132,735 |
| News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist | $66,780 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $62,763 |
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.
Palm Springs at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 44,998 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $71,979 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 45.1% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 106.4 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Palm Springs-Area Cities With Public Relations Programs
- Cathedral City, CA – 4.8 mi away (54,056 pop)
- Palm Desert, CA – 10.6 mi away (52,231 pop)
- Desert Hot Springs, CA – 10.6 mi away (43,327 pop)
- Indio, CA – 18.0 mi away (402,166 pop)
- La Quinta, CA – 18.1 mi away (40,956 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited public relations schools are near Palm Springs, CA?
Our directory has 15 accredited schools offering public relations programs near Palm Springs. The closest is California Baptist University in Riverside, CA (51.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Azusa Pacific University (80.6 miles). 8 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying public relations roles near Palm Springs?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying public relations-related roles near Palm Springs are: Public Relations Manager ($141,230), Public Relations Specialist ($77,010), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($66,780). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Cathedral City instead of Palm Springs?
Cathedral City, CA is 4.8 miles from Palm Springs 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 Palm Springs an affordable place to study public relations?
Palm Springs’s median household income of $71,979 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Palm Springs 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 Palm Springs
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Palm Springs:
- Journalism programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Communication Disorders programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Speech Pathology programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Technical Communication programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Professional Writing programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Strategic Communications programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Business Development programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Construction Management programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Economics programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Financial Technology programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Forensic Accounting programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Health Information Management programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Hospitality Management programs in Palm Springs, CA
- International Business programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Organizational Leadership programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Management Information Systems programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Nonprofit Management programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Operations Management programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Public Administration programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Real Estate programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Recreation Management programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Retail Management programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Risk Management programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Statistics programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Taxation programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Corrections programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Crime Analysis programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Criminology programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Cybercrime programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Emergency Management programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Fire Science programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Forensic Science programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Legal Services programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Legal Studies programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Paralegal programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Security Management programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Cloud Computing programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Computer Engineering programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Innovation programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Mobile App Development programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Software Development programs in Palm Springs, CA
- User Experience programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Web Development programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Machine Learning programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Supply Chain Management programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Data Analytics programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Public Health programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Human Resources programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Project Management programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Special Education programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Homeland Security programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Marketing programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Finance programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Kinesiology programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Sports Management programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Early Childhood Education programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Elementary Education programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Biology programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Communications programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Graphic Design programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Human Services programs in Palm Springs, CA
- MBA programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Criminal Justice programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Nursing programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Business Administration programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Computer Science programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Psychology programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Education programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Engineering programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Technology programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Liberal Arts programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Healthcare programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Cybersecurity programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Accounting programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Healthcare Administration programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Social Work programs in Palm Springs, CA
- Counseling programs in Palm Springs, CA
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.
← Back to Best Public Relations Schools in California (2026)
