Best Public Relations Schools Near Watertown, WI (2026)

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

Watertown, Wisconsin has 16 accredited schools offering public relations programs, with tuition ranging from $4,956 to $51,170 per year for indexed programs. Watertown has a population of about 22,873. Median household income is $68,333 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Wisconsin, the top-earning public relations-related role is Public Relations Manager at a median $113,980 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Public Relations Schools to Watertown

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

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Whitewater, WI 23.8 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
67.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,356
Avg net price $14,158/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI 35.0 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
86.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,792
Avg net price $17,354/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Marquette University

Milwaukee, WI 41.2 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
75.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 81%
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,257
Avg net price $31,487/yr
Tuition
In‑state$51,170
Out‑of‑state$51,170
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Concordia University-Wisconsin

Mequon, WI 41.5 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
47.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 78%
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,075
Avg net price $36,201/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,470
Out‑of‑state$35,470
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Marian University

Fond Du Lac, WI 43.6 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
47.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 75%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,501
Avg net price $21,937/yr
Tuition
In‑state$35,178
Out‑of‑state$35,178
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Wisconsin-Parkside

Kenosha, WI 57.9 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
48.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,129
Avg net price $11,772/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Oshkosh, WI 58.4 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
59.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,548
Avg net price $14,305/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Carthage College

Kenosha, WI 60.3 miles from Watertown
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
47.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 87%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,950
Avg net price $26,565/yr
Tuition
In‑state$38,750
Out‑of‑state$38,750
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Public Relations Wages Near Watertown

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Wisconsin, statewide)
Public Relations Specialist$67,240
Public Relations Manager$113,980
News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist$57,530

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.

Watertown at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population22,873Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$68,333Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+19.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Watertown-Area Cities With Public Relations Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public relations schools are near Watertown, WI?

Our directory has 16 accredited schools offering public relations programs near Watertown. The closest is University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in Whitewater, WI (24.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Gateway Technical College (60.2 miles). 10 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public relations-related roles in Wisconsin are: Public Relations Manager ($113,980), Public Relations Specialist ($67,240), News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist ($57,530). Wages for Watertown workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Fort Atkinson instead of Watertown?

Fort Atkinson, WI is 19.2 miles from Watertown 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 Watertown an affordable place to study public relations?

Watertown’s median household income of $68,333 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Watertown while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Wisconsin 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 Watertown

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

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 Wisconsin (2026)