Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Boise State University

A $23,000 debt load for first-year earnings around $40,000 sounds manageable on paper—and it is, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59 putting this squarely in reasonable territory. But remember these figures come from national peer programs, not Boise State's actual graduates in this major. The national benchmark of $39,794 for communications programs is hardly inspiring, and Idaho's state median runs slightly lower at $38,136. The University of Idaho, the only Idaho program with reported data, pays exactly that state median, suggesting the local market may cap early earnings regardless of which school your student attends.

The real question is whether communications skills translate into career momentum beyond that first year. Similar programs nationally produce fairly compressed earnings—the 75th percentile sits at just $42,358, meaning even top performers in this field don't see dramatic salary jumps early on. That's not necessarily a dealbreaker if your student has genuine passion for PR or advertising work, but it does mean they'll need to be strategic about internships and portfolio-building to stand out in a crowded field where entry-level pay stays modest.

Given the estimation uncertainty and the relatively flat earnings curve in communications, your best move is requesting career outcome data directly from Boise State's program. Ask about job placement rates, typical employers, and whether graduates stay in Idaho (where salaries run lower) or leave for larger markets. The debt is reasonable, but only if the career path is clear.