Communication and Media Studies at DePauw University

DePauw's Communication and Media Studies program delivers significantly stronger outcomes than most alternatives in Indiana and nationwide. Starting at $43,141, graduates earn 26% more than the typical Indiana comm grad and outperform 92% of similar programs nationally. That's competitive with larger state schools like Purdue ($41,409) and IU Indianapolis ($39,775), despite DePauw's much smaller size and liberal arts focus.

The debt load of $27,000 sits below the national average for this major, resulting in a manageable 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio. More importantly, earnings grow robustly—up 31% to $56,425 by year four—suggesting graduates are building marketable skills that translate into career advancement. For a field often criticized for weak job prospects, these numbers tell a different story.

The caveat: Only 16% of DePauw students receive Pell grants, indicating this outcome data may skew toward students from higher-income backgrounds who already have networking advantages. Still, if your child can afford DePauw without excessive borrowing, the program appears to deliver measurably better results than most Indiana comm programs, which typically produce starting salaries in the mid-$30,000s.