Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Drexel University

Drexel's communications program delivers a puzzling outcome: graduates carry $27,000 in debt—remarkably low compared to most programs nationally (5th percentile)—yet earn just $37,125 in their first year, trailing the national median by nearly $3,000. This creates an unusual tension where the debt load is manageable, but the earnings barely outpace what many state schools deliver without Drexel's Philadelphia location and co-op advantages.

Within Pennsylvania, the picture looks slightly better. Drexel ranks in the 60th percentile for earnings among 29 programs statewide, edging out the state median of $36,632. However, Temple University graduates—also in Philadelphia—earn over $4,000 more in their first year, suggesting that Drexel's traditional strength in career preparation through co-ops may not translate as effectively in communications as it does in the university's engineering or business programs. The 0.73 debt-to-earnings ratio is workable, but it requires real belt-tightening during those first years out of school.

For a family considering this program, the calculus comes down to whether Drexel's experiential learning model justifies costs that exceed nearby alternatives. The low debt figure suggests some students find ways to make it affordable, but first-year earnings don't show a meaningful premium over programs at less selective Pennsylvania schools. If your student is set on communications in Philadelphia, Temple offers stronger immediate returns.