Fort Walton Beach, Florida has 3 accredited schools offering public relations programs, with tuition ranging from $6,360 to $26,910 per year for indexed programs. Fort Walton Beach has a population of about 20,956. Median household income is $66,556 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Florida, the top-earning public relations-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $127,550 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Public Relations Schools to Fort Walton Beach
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public relations programs near Fort Walton Beach, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Fort Walton Beach 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 Fort Walton Beach.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Graduation rate
61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$49,137
Avg net price
$9,364/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 88%
- Programs offered: 36
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$61,675
Avg net price
$11,297/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 96%
- Programs offered: 45
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$44,349
Avg net price
$13,739/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 88%
- Programs offered: 28
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$71,588
Avg net price
$6,541/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 49
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$71,588
Avg net price
$4,815/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 94%
- Programs offered: 13
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$68,010
Avg net price
$25,180/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 75%
- Programs offered: 32
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
43%
Graduation rate
76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$57,743
Avg net price
$9,812/yr
TuitionIn‑state$6,410
Out‑of‑state$17,324
Key stats- Retention rate: 91%
- Programs offered: 63
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
40%
Graduation rate
63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$59,436
Avg net price
$36,211/yr
TuitionIn‑state$34,408
Out‑of‑state$34,408
Key stats- Retention rate: 83%
- Programs offered: 36
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Florida schools on the Florida public relations page.
Public Relations Wages Near Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach is part of the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL metro area (BLS area code 18880). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Florida statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | $62,750 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $64,691 |
| Public Relations Manager | $127,550 | FL statewide | $131,495 |
| News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist | $58,730 | FL statewide | $60,546 |
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.
Fort Walton Beach at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 20,956 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $66,556 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 27.8% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 97.0 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Fort Walton Beach-Area Cities With Public Relations Programs
- Crestview, FL – 22.5 mi away (36,433 pop)
- Pensacola, FL – 33.9 mi away (352,187 pop)
- Lynn Haven, FL – 59.9 mi away (20,850 pop)
- Panama City, FL – 61.9 mi away (147,788 pop)
- Foley, AL – 62.5 mi away (28,043 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited public relations schools are near Fort Walton Beach, FL?
Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering public relations programs near Fort Walton Beach. The closest is University of West Florida in Pensacola, FL (36.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of South Alabama (94.7 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying public relations roles near Fort Walton Beach?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying public relations-related roles near Fort Walton Beach are: Public Relations Manager ($127,550), Public Relations Specialist ($62,750), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($58,730). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Florida statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Crestview instead of Fort Walton Beach?
Crestview, FL is 22.5 miles from Fort Walton Beach 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 Fort Walton Beach an affordable place to study public relations?
Fort Walton Beach’s median household income of $66,556 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fort Walton Beach while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida 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 Fort Walton Beach
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Fort Walton Beach:
- Journalism programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
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- Speech Pathology programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Technical Communication programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Professional Writing programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Strategic Communications programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Business Development programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Construction Management programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Economics programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Financial Technology programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Forensic Accounting programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Health Information Management programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Hospitality Management programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- International Business programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Organizational Leadership programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Management Information Systems programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Nonprofit Management programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Operations Management programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Public Administration programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Real Estate programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Recreation Management programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Retail Management programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Risk Management programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Statistics programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Taxation programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Corrections programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Crime Analysis programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Criminology programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Cybercrime programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Emergency Management programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Fire Science programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Forensic Science programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Legal Services programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Legal Studies programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Paralegal programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Security Management programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Cloud Computing programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Computer Engineering programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Innovation programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Mobile App Development programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Software Development programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- User Experience programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Web Development programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Machine Learning programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Supply Chain Management programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Data Analytics programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Public Health programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Human Resources programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Project Management programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Special Education programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Homeland Security programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Marketing programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Finance programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Kinesiology programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Sports Management programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Early Childhood Education programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Elementary Education programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Biology programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Communications programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Graphic Design programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Human Services programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- MBA programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Criminal Justice programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Nursing programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Business Administration programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Computer Science programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Psychology programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Education programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Engineering programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Technology programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Liberal Arts programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Healthcare programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Cybersecurity programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Accounting programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Healthcare Administration programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Social Work programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Counseling programs in Fort Walton Beach, FL
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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