Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degree) at Bowling Green State University-Main Campus

Median Earnings (1yr)

$42,296

74th percentile

60th percentile in Ohio

Median Debt

$22,519

9% below national median

Analysis

Bowling Green delivers solid returns for communications majors, though you're working with limited data here. Starting at $42,296 puts graduates above three-quarters of similar programs nationally and comfortably ahead of Ohio's median of $41,677. With debt of $22,519—notably lower than both the state ($26,500) and national ($24,625) medians—students finish with a manageable debt load that equals just 6.4 months of their first-year salary.

The 14% earnings bump to $48,266 by year four suggests graduates gain traction in their careers, even if they're not matching the premium commanded by Miami University grads across the state. Ohio's communications job market clusters around the $40-45K range, so Bowling Green's placement is competitive without being exceptional.

The catch: we're looking at fewer than 30 graduates in this dataset, so these numbers could shift significantly with a larger sample. Still, the low debt relative to earnings creates a financial cushion that matters more than chasing the highest starting salary. For an 81% admission rate school, Bowling Green offers a straightforward path into communications work without the debt burden that can make entry-level media salaries feel crushing.

Where Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Stands

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

Earnings Distribution

How Bowling Green State University-Main Campus graduates compare to all programs nationally

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School	1 Year	4 Years	Growth
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus	$42,296	$48,266	+14%
Miami University-Middletown	$50,700	$65,121	+28%
Miami University-Oxford	$50,700	$65,121	+28%
Miami University-Hamilton	$50,700	$65,121	+28%
Otterbein University	$37,430	$54,544	+46%

Compare to Similar Programs in Ohio

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Ohio (30 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt	Debt/Earnings
Bowling Green State University-Main CampusBowling Green	$14,081	$42,296	$48,266	$22,519	0.53
Miami University-OxfordOxford	$17,809	$50,700	$65,121	$25,000	0.49
Miami University-HamiltonHamilton	$7,278	$50,700	$65,121	$25,000	0.49
Miami University-MiddletownMiddletown	$7,278	$50,700	$65,121	$25,000	0.49
Franklin UniversityColumbus	$9,577	$46,518	$49,680	$42,017	0.90
Capital UniversityColumbus	$41,788	$45,235	$46,188	$27,000	0.60
National Median	—	$39,794	—	$24,625	0.62

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 Bowling Green State University-Main Campus, approximately 23% 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 24 graduates with reported earnings and 23 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.