Best Public Relations Schools Near Laurel, MS (2026)

Laurel, Mississippi has 5 accredited schools offering public relations programs, with tuition ranging from $9,998 to $30,250 per year for indexed programs. Laurel has a population of about 17,129. Median household income is $37,781 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Mississippi, the top-earning public relations-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $97,160 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Public Relations Schools to Laurel

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

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

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#1

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS 27.4 miles from Laurel
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
39.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,140
Avg net price $21,708/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Belhaven University

Jackson, MS 73.9 miles from Laurel
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
42.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,440
Avg net price $15,676/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Mississippi College

Clinton, MS 82.3 miles from Laurel
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
44.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,485
Avg net price $27,712/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Mississippi Valley State University

Itta Bena, MS 142.0 miles from Laurel
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
36.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,919
Avg net price $9,686/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Mississippi

University, MS 185.6 miles from Laurel
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
70.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,994
Avg net price $13,314/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Public Relations Wages Near Laurel

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Mississippi, statewide)
Public Relations Specialist$59,810
Public Relations Manager$97,160
News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist$45,240

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.


Laurel at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population17,129Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$37,781Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+20.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Laurel-Area Cities With Public Relations Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public relations schools are near Laurel, MS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering public relations programs near Laurel. The closest is University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS (27.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of South Alabama (89.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public relations-related roles in Mississippi are: Public Relations Manager ($97,160), Public Relations Specialist ($59,810), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($45,240). Wages for Laurel workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Hattiesburg instead of Laurel?

Hattiesburg, MS is 28.7 miles from Laurel 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 Laurel an affordable place to study public relations?

Laurel’s median household income of $37,781 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Laurel while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Mississippi 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 Laurel

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

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.