Best Public Relations Schools Near Hays, KS (2026)

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

Hays, Kansas has 1 accredited school offering public relations programs. Hays has a population of about 21,078. Median household income is $56,861 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 43.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kansas, the top-earning public relations-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $129,760 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Public Relations Schools to Hays

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public relations programs near Hays, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Hays 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 Hays. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

Kansas Wesleyan University

Salina, KS 92.3 miles from Hays
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,152
Avg net price $22,671/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Tabor College

Hillsboro, KS 120.3 miles from Hays
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,058
Avg net price $20,205/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Newman University

Wichita, KS 134.5 miles from Hays
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,041
Avg net price $19,971/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Wichita State University

Wichita, KS 136.2 miles from Hays
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,532
Avg net price $13,194/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 149

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS 148.6 miles from Hays
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,262
Avg net price $19,406/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 163

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Southwestern College

Winfield, KS 170.3 miles from Hays
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,646
Avg net price $29,824/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 54%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Washburn University

Topeka, KS 194.7 miles from Hays
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,774
Avg net price $15,280/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 83

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Kansas

Lawrence, KS 219.0 miles from Hays
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,945
Avg net price $18,059/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 183

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Public Relations Wages Near Hays

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Kansas, statewide)
Public Relations Specialist$64,860
Public Relations Manager$129,760
News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist$45,870

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.

Hays at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population21,078Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$56,861Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+43.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Hays-Area Cities With Public Relations Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public relations schools are near Hays, KS?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering public relations programs near Hays. The closest is Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, KS (92.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Kansas Wesleyan University (92.3 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public relations-related roles in Kansas are: Public Relations Manager ($129,760), Public Relations Specialist ($64,860), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($45,870). Wages for Hays workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Dodge City instead of Hays?

Dodge City, KS is 86.1 miles from Hays 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 Hays an affordable place to study public relations?

Hays’s median household income of $56,861 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hays while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kansas 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 Hays

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

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 Kansas (2026)