Best Public Relations Schools Near Owatonna, MN (2026)

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

Owatonna, Minnesota has 13 accredited schools offering public relations programs, with tuition ranging from $9,008 to $54,398 per year for indexed programs. Owatonna has a population of about 26,462. Median household income is $81,276 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Minnesota, the top-earning public relations-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $139,040 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Public Relations Schools to Owatonna

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

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN 38.2 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
58.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,922
Avg net price $19,139/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of St Thomas

Saint Paul, MN 58.9 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
73.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,739
Avg net price $29,155/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Concordia University-Saint Paul

Saint Paul, MN 59.5 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
58.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 79%
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,871
Avg net price $18,462/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,600
Out‑of‑state$25,600
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN 60.3 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
60.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,705
Avg net price $16,863/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN 61.1 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
83.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,020
Avg net price $16,778/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Northwestern-St Paul

Saint Paul, MN 61.8 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
56.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,755
Avg net price $27,705/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Winona, MN 76.3 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
71.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,170
Avg net price $11,704/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN 110.3 miles from Owatonna
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
54.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,813
Avg net price $13,529/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Public Relations Wages Near Owatonna

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Minnesota, statewide)
Public Relations Specialist$68,620
Public Relations Manager$139,040
News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist$46,490

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.

Owatonna at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population26,462Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$81,276Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+32.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Owatonna-Area Cities With Public Relations Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public relations schools are near Owatonna, MN?

Our directory has 13 accredited schools offering public relations programs near Owatonna. The closest is Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, MN (38.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota (76.3 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public relations-related roles in Minnesota are: Public Relations Manager ($139,040), Public Relations Specialist ($68,620), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($46,490). Wages for Owatonna workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Faribault instead of Owatonna?

Faribault, MN is 14.5 miles from Owatonna 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 Owatonna an affordable place to study public relations?

Owatonna’s median household income of $81,276 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Owatonna while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota 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 Owatonna

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

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 Minnesota (2026)