Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at Chicago State University

The small sample size here demands caution, but the debt burden is the headline: graduating with $38,434 to earn under $29,000 is among the heaviest loads in this field nationally (5th percentile). That's asking students to carry debt equal to 16 months of their first-year salary—substantially higher than the national median debt of $24,250 for broadcast and digital communication programs. With over half the student body receiving Pell grants, this debt level hits families who can least afford it.

There's a silver lining in the Illinois context—earnings actually place this program above the state median for similar degrees, outperforming schools like Loyola and Southern Illinois. The $28,643 starting salary isn't far below the national average either. The problem isn't really the earnings outcome; it's how much students are borrowing to get there, which is roughly 50% higher than typical state programs.

For families considering this program, the key question is whether your student can minimize borrowing through grants, scholarships, or part-time work. At $25,000 in debt, this becomes a reasonable proposition. At $38,000+, you're asking a new graduate in a modestly-paying creative field to shoulder a payment burden that could delay financial independence by years. If significant borrowing is necessary, the higher-earning programs at Bradley or North Central would offer better debt-to-income ratios.