Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Drury University

Drury's communications program starts graduates nearly $6,000 below the Missouri median and roughly $15,000 behind the state's top programs at Webster and Missouri State—schools that are geographically close and likely competing for the same students. First-year earnings of $33,862 land in the bottom fifth nationally for this degree, though the program does climb to the 40th percentile within Missouri, suggesting the state's communications market overall may offer more modest starting salaries than coastal hubs.

The debt load of $23,250 is actually slightly below state norms, creating a manageable 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio. That means graduates are borrowing less than most of their peers, which provides some cushion given the lower starting salaries. However, these figures come from fewer than 30 graduates, so they could shift significantly with a larger sample. The program serves a student body where only 27% receive Pell grants, suggesting most families may have resources beyond federal loans.

For Missouri families considering Drury versus nearby alternatives, the tradeoff is clear: you'll likely start $6,000-8,000 behind graduates from Missouri State or Southeast Missouri State, both public universities. Unless Drury offers something distinctive in terms of network, faculty connections, or career services that justifies that gap, the larger state schools appear to deliver better initial return on investment for communications careers.