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Senior publicist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a senior publicist. Senior publicists usually study communication, journalism, or public relations. 86% of senior publicists hold a bachelor's degree, and 5% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 344 real senior publicist resumes to see exactly what senior publicist education sections show.

The most common colleges for senior publicists are the New York University and the New York University.

There are also many online senior publicist courses to help get the education required to be a senior publicist.

What education do you need to become a senior publicist?

What degree do you need to be a senior publicist?

The most common degree for senior publicists is bachelor's degree, with 86% of senior publicists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 5% and master's degree degree at 5%.
  • Bachelor's, 86%
  • Master's, 5%
  • Associate, 5%
  • Diploma, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a senior publicist?

You should major in communication to become a senior publicist. 26% of senior publicists major in communication. Other common majors for a senior publicist include journalism and public relations.

Most common colleges for senior publicists

Senior publicists often get their degrees at New York University, University of California - Davis, and Howard University. Here are the most common colleges for senior publicists in the US based on their resumes.
Senior publicist common collegePercentages
New York University15.66%
University of California - Davis7.23%
Howard University6.02%
Boston University6.02%
American University6.02%

Best majors for senior publicists

RankMajorPercentages
1Communication25.9%
2Journalism11.8%
3Public Relations10.2%
4English10.2%
5Marketing4.7%

Best colleges for senior publicists

The best colleges for senior publicists are Northwestern University, Northeastern University, and Boston University.

A senior publicist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for senior publicists. 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 senior publicists.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

4. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

6. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

7. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,832

Enrollment

4,550

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

10. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

20 best online courses for senior publicists

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5. Launching Your Online Business: Strategies for Success

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Win Buy-In and Resources from Senior Business Decision Makers and Potential Clients...

18. Write A Book - Share Your Story

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20. Street Photography: Capture Stunning Street Photography

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Top 10 most affordable universities for senior publicists

The most affordable schools for senior publicists are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for senior publicists 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 senior publicists.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

7. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

8. USF St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,821

Cost of attendance

19,849

9. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

10. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for senior publicists

The hardest universities for senior publicists to get into are Northwestern University, Northeastern University, and Boston University.

Some great schools for senior publicists 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 senior publicists 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. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

3. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

7. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

8. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

9. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

10. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for senior publicists

The easiest schools for senior publicists to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and mount saint mary's university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a senior publicist 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 senior publicists.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

3. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

4. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

5. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

6. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

7. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

8. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

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 senior publicist salary by education level

According to our data, senior publicists with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $87,761 annually. Senior publicists with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $79,422.
Senior publicist education levelSenior publicist salary
Master's Degree$87,761
Bachelor's Degree$79,422

Senior publicist education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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