Communication and Media Studies at Augustana College

Augustana's communication program graduates earn $40,806 in their first year—significantly above both the national median ($34,959) and Illinois median ($35,991) for this major. More importantly, earnings jump 29% by year four to $52,732, placing graduates ahead of well-regarded programs like Wheaton College and approaching elite schools like Lake Forest. At a moderately selective school (68% admission rate), this performance is notable: you're getting Northwestern-adjacent outcomes without the Northwestern sticker price or admission hurdles.

The debt picture supports a straightforward payoff calculation. At $26,375, borrowing sits just above Illinois' typical debt load for this major but below the national median. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65, graduates owe roughly eight months of their first-year salary—manageable territory that improves as earnings grow. The 33rd percentile debt ranking means two-thirds of similar programs saddle students with more debt for often worse outcomes.

This is one of Illinois' stronger value propositions for communication majors. You're not getting the prestige of Northwestern's Medill School, but you're getting 60th percentile state earnings at a fraction of the cost and stress of elite admissions. For families seeking a solid return on a liberal arts communication degree, Augustana delivers where it counts: graduates who can actually pay off their loans while building toward higher mid-career earnings.