Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Concordia University-Wisconsin

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65 suggests manageable borrowing, but the challenge here is that comparable communications programs nationally point to first-year earnings around $40,000—a figure that leaves little room for error when you're carrying $26,000 in student loans. While this debt level aligns with national medians for similar programs, Wisconsin's communications graduates typically earn closer to $43,000 in their first year, which could make repayment considerably easier.

The gap becomes more concrete when you look at reported outcomes from other Wisconsin schools. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh graduates in this field start at $46,000, while even Marquette's private university graduates begin around $41,000. If Concordia-Wisconsin's actual outcomes fall short of these state benchmarks, students could face a tighter financial picture than the national estimates suggest. The school's 68% admission rate and moderate selectivity don't necessarily predict weaker outcomes, but without actual graduate data, it's impossible to know whether this program delivers the state-level results that would justify the investment.

For a parent, this means weighing an estimated monthly loan payment of roughly $270 against uncertain starting earnings. If your child has strong portfolio work and networking opportunities that could push their salary toward Wisconsin's typical range, the investment becomes more defensible. Without those advantages or actual outcome data showing this specific program performs above the national baseline, consider whether lower-cost state options might offer better demonstrated value.