Best Public Relations Schools Near Marshalltown, IA (2026)

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

Marshalltown, Iowa has 10 accredited schools offering public relations programs, with tuition ranging from $9,936 to $54,666 per year for indexed programs. Marshalltown has a population of about 27,491. Median household income is $68,854 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.7% 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 Marshalltown

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

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 37.9 miles from Marshalltown
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
76.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,386
Avg net price $18,589/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 40.2 miles from Marshalltown
  • 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

#3

Drake University

Des Moines, IA 48.7 miles from Marshalltown
  • 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

#4

Simpson College

Indianola, IA 57.3 miles from Marshalltown
  • 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

#5

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, IA 64.2 miles from Marshalltown
  • 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

#6

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, IA 64.3 miles from Marshalltown
  • 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

#7

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, IA 79.2 miles from Marshalltown
  • 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

#8

Waldorf University

Forest City, IA 92.5 miles from Marshalltown
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
36.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,165
Avg net price $19,693/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,978
Out‑of‑state$25,978
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 48%
  • Programs offered: 24

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 Marshalltown

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.

Marshalltown at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population27,491Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$68,854Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+19.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Marshalltown-Area Cities With Public Relations Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 10 accredited schools offering public relations programs near Marshalltown. The closest is Iowa State University in Ames, IA (38.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Waldorf University (92.8 miles). 9 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 Marshalltown workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Ames instead of Marshalltown?

Ames, IA is 37.0 miles from Marshalltown 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 Marshalltown an affordable place to study public relations?

Marshalltown’s median household income of $68,854 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Marshalltown 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 Marshalltown

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

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)