Bachelor's · Tampa, Florida

Is Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at University of South Florida worth it?

High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back in time: graduates typically recover the cost in about 4.7 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $45,518; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: Not enough graduates to report; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $15,826; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $37k (likely $37k – $43k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $11k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in FL; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 4.7 years (likely 3.6–6.7); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: −$85k (likely −$126k – −$47k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $30k (likely −$53k – $118k); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 78%; Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26

Change income, residency or loans Compare Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at other schools

🎬 Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward media & storytelling majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

AP English Language and Composition
AP English Literature and Composition
AP Seminar

IB Higher Level

Language A: Literature HL or Language and Literature HL
Film HL

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.