Best Public Relations Schools Near Iowa City, IA (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Iowa City, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering public relations programs, with tuition ranging from $36,658 to $51,141 per year for indexed programs. Iowa City has a population of about 75,264. Median household income is $57,533 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 60.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Iowa City, IA metro area, the top-earning public relations-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $127,760 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Public Relations Schools to Iowa City

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

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, IA 23.9 miles from Iowa City
  • 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: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, IA 24.7 miles from Iowa City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
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: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, IA 49.8 miles from Iowa City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • 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: 59

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Loras College

Dubuque, IA 73.1 miles from Iowa City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
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: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 76.1 miles from Iowa City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • 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: 116

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, IA 82.9 miles from Iowa City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • 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: 55

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Simpson College

Indianola, IA 107.1 miles from Iowa City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • 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: 41

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Drake University

Des Moines, IA 109.6 miles from Iowa City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
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: 80

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Public Relations Wages Near Iowa City

Iowa City is part of the Iowa City, IA metro area (BLS area code 26980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Public Relations Specialist$64,170Iowa City, IA$70,131
Public Relations Manager$127,760Iowa City, IA$139,628
News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist$43,540IA statewide$47,585

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.

Iowa City at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population75,264Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$57,533Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+60.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Iowa City-Area Cities With Public Relations Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public relations schools are near Iowa City, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering public relations programs near Iowa City. The closest is Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA (23.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Loras College (73.1 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying public relations roles near Iowa City?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying public relations-related roles near Iowa City are: Public Relations Manager ($127,760), Public Relations Specialist ($64,170), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($43,540). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Iowa statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Coralville instead of Iowa City?

Coralville, IA is 4.5 miles from Iowa City 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 Iowa City an affordable place to study public relations?

Iowa City’s median household income of $57,533 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Iowa City 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 Iowa City

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

Data verified: August 31, 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)