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Assistant director of public relations education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an assistant director of public relations. Assistant directors of public relations usually study communication, journalism, or business. 79% of assistant directors of public relations hold a bachelor's degree, and 8% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 537 real assistant director of public relations resumes to see exactly what assistant director of public relations education sections show.
The most common colleges for assistant directors of public relations are the Syracuse University and the Syracuse University.
There are also many online assistant director of public relations courses to help get the education required to be an assistant director of public relations.
What education do you need to become an assistant director of public relations?
What degree do you need to be an assistant director of public relations?
- Bachelor's, 79%
- Master's, 8%
- Associate, 8%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become an assistant director of public relations?
- Communication, 24%
- Journalism, 16%
- Business, 11%
- Public Relations, 7%
- Other Majors, 42%
Most common colleges for assistant directors of public relations
| Assistant director of public relations common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Syracuse University | 11.69% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 9.09% |
| Florida State University | 7.79% |
| The University of Alabama | 6.49% |
| Temple University | 6.49% |
Best majors for assistant directors of public relations
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Communication | 23.9% |
| 2 | Journalism | 15.6% |
| 3 | Business | 10.5% |
| 4 | Public Relations | 7.4% |
| 5 | English | 7.1% |
Best colleges for assistant directors of public relations
The best colleges for assistant directors of public relations are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Southern California.
An assistant director of public relations with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for assistant directors of public relations. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become assistant directors of public relations.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
7. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$15,094
Enrollment
32,974
8. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
9. SUNY College at Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,369
Enrollment
5,229
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,230
Enrollment
12,161
20 best online courses for assistant directors of public relations
Advertising disclosure
1. Introduction to Public Relations and the Media
This specialization is ideal for learners interested in how to practice public relations and branding communication. You will learn how to use different tools to manage your company’s reputation. You will learn about different forms of media, how to work with journalists, and how to plan strategic communication to enhance your company. And you will emerge from this specialization with several portfolio pieces, including a media contact list, press release, pitch, and crisis communication plan...
2. Communicating with the Public
Rooted in theater, journalism and humanities practices, this course presents tools and techniques that help you improve your public-facing communication skills, particularly when describing your work to a lay audience. Whether it’s a 30-second elevator pitch or speaking to a large organization, “Communicating with the Public” will boost your confidence in any speech-communication scenario...
3. Public Relations: Media Crisis Communications
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4. Press Coverage, Publicity & Public Relations For Branding
Public relations to reach 100,000+ people with influencer marketing, publicity, and press coverage for personal branding...
5. Integrated Marketing Communications: Advertising, Public Relations, Digital Marketing and more
Just how familiar are you with a marketing communication campaign? Learn more about this key pillar in the marketing mix and use it to give the push your product or service needs. Through this course you will understand the most important issues when planning and evaluating marketing communications strategies and executions in order to create valuable brands and win consumers. You'll be able to combine the appropriate theories and models with practical information to make better marketing...
6. Leadership for Public Health Crises
Leadership for Public Health Crises will enable current and prospective managers, directors, unit heads, and elected officials to effectively lead their organizational response to profound health-related emergencies and to build leadership capacity across multiple sectors, agencies, organizations, and divisions. This series of courses prepares graduate students (in, e.g., public administration, public health, social work, business, homeland security, education, and related fields) and...
7. The Art of Public Speaking
Master Public Speaking: Deliver Unforgettable Speeches & Presentations With The World's Most Decorated Public Speaker...
8. Communication Skills Masterclass - Your Communication Guide
Communication Skill For Business Communication & Effective Communication In Workplace & Relationships...
9. Breastfeeding: Public Health Perspectives
Engaging in this course will provide you with the opportunity to think about breastfeeding and its public health implications. The Socio-Ecological Model will be the framework of the course as we think about how each level of the Model (individual, interpersonal, community, organizational, and public policy) impacts breastfeeding practices in the United States, and globally. Through short video lectures you will be introduced to relevant topics related to the public health perspectives of...
10. The Art of Communications - Become A Master Communicator
Communication skills training. Confidence. Public Speaking. Promotion. Body Language. Pay raise. Job interview. Speech...
11. The Ultimate Public Relations Masterclass
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12. Communication Skills for Beginners
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13. Public Speaking & Communicating: Skip Theory, Master the Art
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14. Communication Skills - 7 Communication Courses In 1
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15. Executive Communication Training
Being a great leader without being a great communicator is nearly impossible...
16. Public Speaking: A tactical approach
This course will teach public speaking, communication skills and storytelling in an entirely new way...
17. Communication Fundamentals: How To Communicate Better
Become an Effective Communicator And Learn How to Get Your Message Across By Learning Communication Fundamentals...
18. Communication Skills Masterclass: Speak Like A Leader
Master Public Speaking, Business Communication, Presentation Skills, Storytelling, Body Language, Listening & More!...
19. Business Communication Skills: Handling Clients & Customers
Soft Skills Training Social Skills Business Etiquette Business English Customer Service Training...
20. Public Speaking for People Who Hate Public Speaking
Public Speaking for People Who Hate Public Speaking - Presentation Skills - Communication Skills and Storytelling...
Top 10 most affordable universities for assistant directors of public relations
The most affordable schools for assistant directors of public relations are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and suny farmingdale.
If the best universities for assistant directors of public relations are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for assistant directors of public relations.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
7. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
8. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for assistant directors of public relations
The hardest universities for assistant directors of public relations to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for assistant directors of public relations are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for assistant directors of public relations based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
6. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
10. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for assistant directors of public relations
The easiest schools for assistant directors of public relations to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, barry university, and notre dame college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an assistant director of public relations without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for assistant directors of public relations.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
4. Rochester University
Rochester Hills, MI • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,002
5. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
6. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
7. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
8. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
9. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
10. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
Average assistant director of public relations salary by education level
| Assistant director of public relations education level | Assistant director of public relations salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $59,082 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $50,895 |
Assistant director of public relations education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025