20 Best PR Firms and Agencies in Education
This guide spotlights Leading public relations agencies in the Education Sector, known for shaping stories that resonate across corporate, nonprofit, and public sectors.
It explores their unique expertise, service offerings, and influence—while outlining essential evaluation factors such as credibility, experience, service range, measurable impact, and community engagement—to help organizations find the ideal PR partner for meaningful visibility and growth in the education sector distinctive market landscape.
Best PR Firms and Agencies in Education
1. Edelman (Education Practice)
- Chicago, USA(HQ)
- 1952
- 6,000+
- Higher Education PR, Crisis Communications, Institutional Reputation Management, Policy Communications, Stakeholder Engagement
industries served
Higher Education, K-12 Education, EdTech, Government, Non-Profits
Edelman’s dedicated education practice serves land-grant universities, private colleges, HBCUs, and secondary schools, advising on everything from presidential transitions and Title IX cases to campus safety and athletics scandals. The team is staffed by former college administrators, government experts, litigators, and journalists, applying a political campaign model of protect, promote, and evolve.
2. BerlinRosen
- New York, USA (HQ)
- 2005
- 200-400
- Higher Education PR, Research Amplification, Thought Leadership, Crisis Communications, Policy Advocacy
Industries Served
Higher Education, Education Non-Profits, EdTech, Foundations, Policy Organisations
BerlinRosen is a strategy-first agency with a strong higher education practice, helping universities translate research for wider audiences, elevate faculty thought leadership, and navigate complex institutional communications. The firm works with colleges, foundations, and education organisations to manage reputation, drive national policy conversations, and communicate during sensitive community moments.
3. Rasky Partners
- Boston, USA (HQ)
- 1989
- 50-100
- Higher Education PR, Public Affairs, Government Relations, Crisis Communications, Strategic Communications
Industries Served
Higher Education, Education Policy, Non-Profits, Financial Services, Healthcare
Rasky Partners is a nationally recognised independent PR and public affairs firm named by Forbes as one of America’s top PR firms, with deep expertise in education communications at the intersection of institutions, government, and media. The firm has guided universities through high-stakes policy debates, legislative challenges, and reputational crises with a team rooted in journalism, government, and advocacy.
4. RH Strategic
- Seattle, USA (HQ)
- 2008
- 11-50
- K-12 EdTech PR, Higher Education PR, Thought Leadership, Media Relations, Policy Communications
Industries Served
K-12 Education, Higher Education, EdTech, Education Policy, Non-Profits
RH Strategic is a specialist communications firm with deep expertise in both K-12 and higher education, having helped clients secure features in Forbes, NPR, CNBC, and the New York Times while building executive thought leadership platforms. The firm is known for its ability to help EdTech innovators lead national education conversations and attract investor and policy attention.
5. Beehive Strategic Communication
- St. Paul, USA
- 2004
- 11-50
- Education PR, Non-Profit Communications, Brand Strategy, Stakeholder Engagement, Community Relations
Industries Served
Education, Non-Profits, Healthcare, Government, Community Organisations
Beehive Strategic Communication is a St. Paul-based agency recognised by O’Dwyer’s among the top education PR firms in the US, with a strong reputation for purpose-driven communications across education and non-profit sectors. The firm specialises in stakeholder engagement, community relations, and brand strategy for institutions navigating complex social and civic environments.
6. Public Communications Inc. (PCI)
- Chicago, USA
- 1955
- 50-100
- Education PR, Non-Profit Communications, Healthcare PR, Crisis Communications, Media Relations
Industries Served
Education, Healthcare, Non-Profits, Government, Consumer
Public Communications Inc. is one of Chicago’s most established independent PR agencies, consistently ranked by O’Dwyer’s among the top education PR firms in the US. With nearly seven decades of experience, PCI brings deep media relationships and a community-minded communications philosophy to educational institutions across the Midwest and beyond.
7. Moore, Inc.
- Tallahasse, USA
- 1997
- 50-200
- Education PR, Public Affairs, Digital Marketing, Advocacy Communications, Government Relations
Industries Served
Education, Government, Non-Profits, Healthcare, Public Affairs
Moore, Inc. is a Tallahassee-based communications and public affairs agency ranked among O’Dwyer’s top education PR firms, with strong ties to Florida’s education policy landscape and state government. The firm provides integrated PR, digital marketing, and advocacy services to educational institutions and organisations operating in complex regulatory and political environments.
8. Otter PR
- St. Petersburg, USA
- 2019
- 50-100
- Education PR, EdTech PR, Media Relations, Thought Leadership, Digital PR
Industries Served
Education, EdTech, Technology, Healthcare, Consumer
Otter PR is a fast-growing St. Petersburg agency ranked by O’Dwyer’s among the top education PR firms, known for its media relations-first approach that prioritises securing coverage in nationally recognised publications. The firm works with EdTech companies, educational institutions, and education-adjacent brands to build visibility and credibility through targeted, results-driven campaigns.
- Wisconsin, USA
- 1996
- 11-50
- K-12 EdTech PR, STEM Education PR, Media Relations, Market Research, Strategic Storytelling
Industries Served
K-12 Education, EdTech, STEM, Education Non-Profits, Startups
CB&A is a boutique agency focused exclusively on the education sector for over 25 years, with deep expertise in K-12, EdTech, and STEM communications. The firm is known for its hands-on approach to media relations, market research, and strategic storytelling that drives awareness and adoption of innovative education solutions.
10. Goodman Media International
- New York, USA
- 1994
- 20-50
- Education, Non-Profits, Publishing, Arts & Culture, Healthcare
Industries Served
Fashion, Luxury, Beauty, Consumer Tech, Lifestyle
Goodman Media International is a New York agency with over 30 years of experience in education and non-profit communications, consistently ranked by O’Dwyer’s as a top education PR firm. The firm combines strong media relationships with a mission-driven philosophy, helping education clients secure coverage in leading national outlets.
11. Birnbach Communications
- Marblehead, USA
- 1996
- 2-10
- EdTech PR, Education Non-Profit PR, Media Relations, Thought Leadership, Crisis Communications
Industries Served
EdTech, K-12 Education, Higher Education, Non-Profits, Education Policy
Birnbach Communications is a boutique Massachusetts-based agency specialising in EdTech and education non-profit PR, ranked by O’Dwyer’s among the top education sector firms in the US. The firm is known for its senior-led, highly personalised approach to media relations and thought leadership for mission-driven education clients.
12. Leoni Consulting Group
- New York, USA
- 2010
- 2-10
- Education PR, EdTech PR, Non-Profit Communications, Media Relations, Stakeholder Engagement
Industries Served
Education, EdTech, Non-Profits, K-12 Schools, Higher Education
Leoni Consulting Group is a boutique New York firm specialising in education, EdTech, and non-profit communications, offering tailored PR strategies that help schools, universities, and mission-driven organisations secure media coverage and engage key stakeholders. The firm is valued for its intimate knowledge of the education sector and its ability to craft narratives that resonate with educators, policymakers, and parents alike.
13. Communications Strategy Group (CSG)
- Denver, USA
- 2009
- 11-50
- Education PR, EdTech PR, Thought Leadership, Brand Awareness, Crisis Communications
Industries Served
Education, EdTech, Financial Services, Energy, Non-Profits
Communications Strategy Group is a Denver-based firm with strong credentials in education and EdTech PR, praised by clients on Clutch for its deep understanding of the sector’s nuances and its ability to boost thought leadership and drive brand recognition. The firm applies a strategy-first approach to education communications, connecting clients to the reporters, policymakers, and community leaders that matter most.
14. Nickel Communications
- United States (remote-first)
- 2015
- 2-10
- EdTech PR, K-12 Education PR, Media Relations, Thought Leadership, Product Launch Communications
Industries Served
EdTech, K-12 Education, Higher Education, Corporate Training, Lifelong Learning
Nickel Communications is a specialist EdTech PR firm helping startups, scale-ups, and established companies in K-12 education, higher education solutions, and corporate learning amplify their reach through strategic media relations and thought leadership. The firm is known for its sector expertise and ability to secure placements that position EdTech innovators as credible voices driving change in education.
15. Pando Public Relations
- United States (remote-first)
- 2016
- 2-10
- EdTech PR, Corporate Learning PR, Startup Communications, Media Relations, Brand Positioning
Industries Served
EdTech, Corporate Learning, K-12 Education, Higher Education, Workforce Development
Pando Public Relations is a boutique firm specialising in EdTech and corporate learning, helping innovative brands craft compelling narratives and secure top-tier media coverage in competitive markets. The agency is particularly valued by startups and scale-ups looking to build credibility and category leadership within the education and workforce development space.
16. GlobalCom PR Network (Education Practice)
- Munich, Germany (HQ)
- 1999
- 500+
- International Education PR, EdTech PR, Reputation Management, Advocacy Communications, Digital PR
Industries Served
Higher Education, EdTech, E-Learning, Education Technology Providers, Student Services
GlobalCom PR Network’s education practice brings over 25 years of international PR experience to educational institutions, technology providers, and e-learning platforms across more than 40 countries. The network’s strength lies in combining local PR expertise with global coordination, enabling education brands to reach diverse international audiences with culturally attuned communications.
17. Weber Shandwick (Education Practice)
- St. Louis, USA (HQ)
- 2001
- 3,000+
- Higher Education PR, Crisis Communications, Digital Strategy, Stakeholder Engagement, Brand Positioning
Industries Served
Higher Education, K-12 Education, EdTech, Government, Non-Profits
Weber Shandwick’s education practice operates within one of the world’s most resourced global communications agencies, serving higher education clients across media relations, digital strategy, and crisis communications. The firm is listed among O’Dwyer’s top education PR agencies and brings its data-driven, integrated approach to bear on the complex communications challenges facing modern universities and EdTech companies.
18. Mekky Media Relations
- Chicago, USA
- 2009
- 2-10
- Education PR, Non-Profit PR, Media Relations, Thought Leadership, Community Outreach
Industries Served
Education, Non-Profits, Healthcare, Government, Small Business
Mekky Media Relations is a Chicago boutique ranked by O’Dwyer’s among the top education PR agencies in the US, known for its strong relationships with Midwest media and its mission-driven approach to communications for education and non-profit clients. The firm is valued for its accessible, senior-led service model and its ability to generate meaningful media coverage for organisations with important stories to tell.
19.AM MediaWorks
- United States (remote-first)
- 2012
- 2-10
- EdTech PR, Education Media Relations, Thought Leadership, Content Marketing, Launch Campaigns
Industries Served
EdTech, K-12 Education, Higher Education, Education Non-Profits, STEM
AM MediaWorks is a specialist EdTech and education PR firm known for its hands-on approach to driving visibility in top-tier education and business press for disruptive innovators. The firm combines media relations expertise with content marketing and thought leadership to help EdTech startups and education organisations build lasting credibility in a competitive landscape.
20. Sachs Media
- Tallahassee, USA
- 1996
- 20-50
- Education PR, Public Affairs, Digital Communications, Crisis Communications, Government Relations
Industries Served
Education, Healthcare, Government, Non-Profits, Public Affairs
Sachs Media is a Tallahassee-based agency ranked by O’Dwyer’s among the top education PR firms in the US, with a strong track record in public affairs and strategic communications for educational institutions operating in politically complex environments. The firm is known for integrating digital communications and government relations with traditional PR to give education clients a full-spectrum communications capability.
How we Picked the Best Education PR Agencies for Your Business.
We prioritised agencies with proven, sustained experience working with educational institutions — whether universities, K-12 schools, EdTech companies, or education non-profits. Understanding the unique stakeholder dynamics of education, including parents, students, faculty, administrators, donors, and policymakers, requires sector-specific expertise that generalist agencies rarely possess. Agencies with dedicated education practices or exclusive sector focus scored significantly higher in our assessment.
Educational institutions face some of the most sensitive and high-profile communications crises of any sector — from Title IX cases and campus safety incidents to presidential transitions, athletics scandals, and data breaches. We assessed each agency's demonstrated ability to handle crisis situations with speed, sensitivity, and strategic clarity while protecting institutional reputation. Prior experience advising universities and schools through publicly reported crises was a key differentiating factor.
Earned media in the education sector requires relationships with a specialist set of journalists covering higher education, K-12 policy, and EdTech at outlets including The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, Education Week, NPR's Education Desk, and national broadsheets. We evaluated each agency's track record in securing coverage in these outlets and their ability to connect education clients with reporters who shape national conversations about learning, policy, and innovation.
Education is a heavily regulated and politically influenced sector, and the most effective education PR agencies understand how to operate at the intersection of communications and public affairs. We favoured agencies with experience in policy advocacy, government relations, and legislative communications — capabilities that are critical when institutions need to engage with federal agencies, state legislatures, or local school boards. Agencies with bipartisan government experience and existing relationships with education policymakers were rated highly.
The education sector spans an enormous range of organisations — from Ivy League universities and community colleges to charter school networks, EdTech startups, and education non-profits. We assessed whether agencies had meaningful experience across multiple institution types rather than a narrow slice of the sector. Agencies that could demonstrate successful work across higher education, K-12, and EdTech — adapting their communications strategies to each — were considered the strongest all-round choices.
Five Questions to Ask an Education PR Agency Before You Hire.
Education crises — from campus incidents and accreditation threats to faculty misconduct and data privacy breaches — require an agency that has navigated these situations before and understands the unique sensitivity of communicating with students, parents, staff, and the public simultaneously. Ask for specific examples of education crises they have managed, what the outcome was, and how quickly they were able to mobilise. An agency that can describe its education crisis protocols in detail is far better positioned to protect your institution when it matters most.
Generic media relationships are not sufficient in the education sector, where the most important journalists write for specialist outlets like The Chronicle of Higher Education, Education Week, and Inside Higher Ed, as well as education desks at NPR, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. Ask which specific reporters the agency works with regularly and when they last placed an education story with them. An agency that can name journalists by beat and outlet is operating at a level that will deliver meaningfully better results for your institution.
Educational institutions must communicate with students, parents, faculty, staff, donors, alumni, regulators, and the general public — often with different messages calibrated to each audience. Ask how the agency structures multi-stakeholder communications programmes and how it ensures consistency of core messaging across audiences. Experience in managing internal and external communications in parallel during sensitive moments — such as leadership transitions or policy controversies — is a particularly valuable capability to probe.
For institutions engaged in policy debates — around accreditation, funding, diversity programmes, or regulatory compliance — a PR agency with public affairs and government relations capability is significantly more valuable than one focused purely on media. Ask whether the agency has experience engaging with state legislatures, federal agencies like the Department of Education, or local school boards, and whether they have existing relationships with relevant policymakers. This dual PR and public affairs capability is a meaningful differentiator in the education space.
Education PR success should be measured beyond clip counts to include indicators like shifts in institutional perception, enrolment inquiry volumes, donor engagement, policy influence, and faculty recruitment impact. Ask how the agency defines and tracks success metrics specific to educational organisations, and how it connects PR activity to the outcomes that matter most to your institution's leadership and board. Agencies that can articulate an education-specific measurement framework demonstrate a deeper strategic understanding of the sector.
Things to Watch Out for When Choosing an Education PR Agency
Choosing the wrong PR partner can cost both time and money. Watch out for these key warning signs:
Education crises — from Title IX investigations and campus safety incidents to accreditation threats — require a very specific set of communications skills that generalist PR agencies rarely possess. Ask specifically which education crises the agency has managed, what the outcome was, and how they coordinated messaging across multiple stakeholder groups under time pressure. A vague or evasive answer to this question is a serious warning sign.
The education media landscape is highly specialised, with key publications like The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, and Education Week requiring specific relationship investment that generalist PR agencies simply do not have. Ask which education-specific journalists and outlets the agency has active relationships with, and when they last secured coverage in a specialist education title. If the answer skews entirely toward mainstream consumer press, the agency is not operating with the depth your institution needs.
Educational institutions require simultaneously calibrated messages for students, parents, faculty, alumni, donors, accreditors, and government bodies — often during the same news cycle. Ask how the agency has managed situations where internal and external messaging needed to coexist and how they ensure consistency of core narrative across very different audiences. Agencies without experience in multi-stakeholder orchestration are a poor fit for universities, school districts, or large education organisations.
Education is one of the most politically and legislatively influenced sectors in any economy, and institutions that engage only in media relations without managing policymaker relationships are at a strategic disadvantage. Ask whether the agency has experience working with state or federal education departments, school boards, or legislative committees. An agency that can only help you manage the press — but not the policy environment — is delivering a partial service.
Education institutions invest in PR to achieve outcomes beyond clip counts — including improved enrolment inquiries, stronger donor engagement, increased faculty recruitment, and greater policy influence. Ask how the agency connects its PR activity to the outcomes that matter most to your institution's leadership and governing board. Agencies that cannot speak this language are operating at a transactional level that will not satisfy senior institutional stakeholders.
