Location: La Mirada, CA•In-State Tuition: $46,704•Admission Rate: 60%•Avg SAT: 1258
Median Earnings (1yr)
$36,319
28th percentile
40th percentile in California
Median Debt
$21,104
14% below national median
D/E Ratio: 0.58 ManageableSample: 29 graduates Limited data

Analysis

Biola's communications program leaves graduates earning about $3,000 less than both California and national medians for this field—putting it below the middle of the pack among the state's 17 programs. That $36,319 starting salary represents the 40th percentile statewide, meaning six out of ten similar California programs produce better early-career outcomes. The gap widens when you look at top California programs: USC and National University graduates start nearly $14,000 higher.

The debt load of $21,104 is actually slightly below state and national averages, which helps the overall picture. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58, graduates face manageable repayment—roughly equivalent to half a year's salary. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means a few unusually low or high earners could skew these figures significantly in either direction.

For parents paying private school tuition at Biola, this becomes a question of whether the institution's other attributes justify earnings that trail state public universities like San Diego State (which reports $44,000 starting salaries). The program won't create insurmountable debt, but it's not positioning graduates for the stronger outcomes available elsewhere in California's competitive communications market.

Where Biola University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all public relations, advertising, and applied communication bachelors's programs nationally

Biola UniversityOther public relations, advertising, and applied communication programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Earnings Distribution

How Biola University graduates compare to all programs nationally

Biola University earns $36k — 28th percentile among public relations, advertising, and applied communication bachelors programs.

Compare to Similar Programs in California

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication bachelors's programs at peer institutions in California (17 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
Biola UniversityLa Mirada$46,704$36,319—$21,1040.58
National UniversitySan Diego$13,320$50,070—$30,6220.61
University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles$68,237$50,041$70,999$20,2510.40
Pepperdine UniversityMalibu$66,742$45,988$64,905$26,0000.57
San Diego State UniversitySan Diego$8,290$44,197$62,118$17,0380.39
Chapman UniversityOrange$62,784$40,141$60,270$22,6250.56
National Median—$39,794—$24,6250.62

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with public relations, advertising, and applied communication graduates

Advertising and Promotions Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate advertising policies and programs or produce collateral materials, such as posters, contests, coupons, or giveaways, to create extra interest in the purchase of a product or service for a department, an entire organization, or on an account basis.

$159,660/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Human Resources Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.

$140,030/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Public Relations Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or client.

$132,870/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Fundraising Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.

$132,870/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Training and Development Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the training and development activities and staff of an organization.

$127,090/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Technical Writers

Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.

$91,670/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Communications Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Editors

Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication.

$75,260/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Public Relations Specialists

Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media.

$69,780/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Fundraisers

Organize activities to raise funds or otherwise solicit and gather monetary donations or other gifts for an organization. May design and produce promotional materials. May also raise awareness of the organization's work, goals, and financial needs.

$66,490/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Training and Development Specialists

Design or conduct work-related training and development programs to improve individual skills or organizational performance. May analyze organizational training needs or evaluate training effectiveness.

$65,850/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Health Education Specialists

Provide and manage health education programs that help individuals, families, and their communities maximize and maintain healthy lifestyles. Use data to identify community needs prior to planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and environments. May link health systems, health providers, insurers, and patients to address individual and population health needs. May serve as resource to assist individuals, other health professionals, or the community, and may administer fiscal resources for health education programs.

$63,000/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Biola University, approximately 26% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Sample Size: Based on 29 graduates with reported earnings and 32 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.