Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Eastern University

For communications graduates, starting at $36,632 means working to justify a $26,500 debt load—and for Eastern's program, both figures come from similar Pennsylvania schools rather than tracked outcomes of their own alumni. The 0.72 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment in theory, but that assumes this particular program's graduates actually hit these benchmarks.

The national picture shows this field typically pays around $39,800 first year, putting Pennsylvania programs slightly below that mark. Eastern's estimated outcomes align with the state median, landing in the middle of what comparable PA communications programs produce. Temple and Duquesne graduates reportedly earn $4,000-5,000 more annually, which compounds significantly over a career. With 36% of Eastern students receiving Pell grants, that income gap matters more for families stretching to afford this degree.

The lack of trackable graduate data here is the real concern. When a program doesn't have enough alumni for the Department of Education to report outcomes, you're betting on projections from peer schools rather than proven results. For a field where networking, internships, and employer connections drive early career success, you need confidence that this specific program delivers those opportunities—and the data simply can't tell you whether Eastern does.