Communication and Media Studies at Dakota Wesleyan University

A communication degree from Dakota Wesleyan appears to underperform the sparse South Dakota market, where peer programs suggest first-year earnings around $37,500. With estimated earnings of roughly $35,000 and debt near $26,000—both derived from national benchmarks for similar programs—this represents a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.74, which is manageable but not impressive. South Dakota State and the University of South Dakota both report actual outcomes above what you'd expect here, raising questions about whether a smaller private institution can compete on career outcomes in this field.

The financial picture becomes more concerning when you consider that communication degrees nationally cluster tightly around these figures, meaning there's little upside potential even for strong performers. Your child would be borrowing nearly three-quarters of their first year's salary for a credential that, based on comparable programs, doesn't command premium wages in the region. South Dakota's communication market appears limited enough that placement networks and employer relationships could matter significantly—areas where larger state universities may hold advantages.

Given the uncertainty of these estimates and the clear performance gap between Dakota Wesleyan's expected outcomes and the state's flagship programs, you're essentially betting that this specific program beats expectations in ways the data can't capture. Unless there are compelling non-financial reasons—strong alumni connections in a target industry, specific faculty mentorship, or career goals where the school's reputation carries weight—the safer bet appears to be programs with documented success placing graduates into decent-paying jobs.