Communication Disorders Sciences and Services at Baylor University

Baylor's Communication Disorders program produces graduates who earn significantly more than typical speech pathology students—$38,174 in the first year versus the Texas median of $27,000. That 80th percentile ranking among Texas programs is impressive, though these figures come from a small graduating class, so individual circumstances heavily influence the averages.

The $21,000 debt load is reasonable given the earnings trajectory. That 0.55 debt-to-earnings ratio would be concerning for many programs, but communication disorders students typically continue to graduate school for the clinical credentials needed to practice as speech-language pathologists. The 51% earnings jump by year four suggests many graduates are pursuing exactly that path—likely working as assistants or in related roles before entering grad school or advancing in clinical positions. Among the top five Texas programs, Baylor ranks second only to Stephen F Austin State.

The small sample size matters here more than usual. With fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, a few high earners or students pursuing immediate graduate education could skew these numbers considerably. That said, the program's strong performance relative to both state and national benchmarks (95th percentile nationally) suggests it's doing something right—possibly through Baylor's network or the rigor that comes with its selective admissions. For families planning on the graduate school that most speech pathology careers require, these undergraduate outcomes look solid.