Best Public Relations Schools Near Burlington, IA (2026)

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

Burlington, Iowa has 9 accredited schools offering public relations programs, with tuition ranging from $26,880 to $54,666 per year for indexed programs. Burlington has a population of about 23,800. Median household income is $55,274 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning public relations-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $120,730 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Public Relations Schools to Burlington

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

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, IA 58.0 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,531
Avg net price $24,691/yr
Tuition
In‑state$36,658
Out‑of‑state$36,658
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, IA 86.3 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
52.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,125
Avg net price $18,745/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, IA 87.1 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
59.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,787
Avg net price $20,168/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Loras College

Dubuque, IA 119.5 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
67.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,289
Avg net price $20,716/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Simpson College

Indianola, IA 132.8 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
64.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 86%
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,274
Avg net price $21,936/yr
Tuition
In‑state$47,656
Out‑of‑state$47,656
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 136.7 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
68.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,177
Avg net price $15,901/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,936
Out‑of‑state$21,712
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Drake University

Des Moines, IA 142.4 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
72.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,901
Avg net price $29,127/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, IA 144.6 miles from Burlington
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
42.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,766
Avg net price $20,942/yr
Tuition
In‑state$19,475
Out‑of‑state$19,475
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Public Relations Wages Near Burlington

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Iowa, statewide)
Public Relations Specialist$62,970
Public Relations Manager$120,730
News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist$43,540

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.

Burlington at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population23,800Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$55,274Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+23.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Burlington-Area Cities With Public Relations Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public relations schools are near Burlington, IA?

Our directory has 9 accredited schools offering public relations programs near Burlington. The closest is Monmouth College in Monmouth, IL (26.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Illinois College (87.6 miles). 7 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public relations-related roles in Iowa are: Public Relations Manager ($120,730), Public Relations Specialist ($62,970), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($43,540). Wages for Burlington workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Galesburg instead of Burlington?

Galesburg, IL is 40.3 miles from Burlington 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 Burlington an affordable place to study public relations?

Burlington’s median household income of $55,274 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Burlington while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa 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 Burlington

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

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 Iowa: Online Programs (2026)