Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degree) at Florida Institute of Technology

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$36,000

Est. from FL median (12 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$24,063

Est. from FL median (4 programs)

Analysis

Florida Tech's communications program appears positioned at the lower end of the state's earnings spectrum, with peer programs suggesting around $36,000 in first-year earnings—well below what graduates from UF, FSU, and Miami typically earn. The estimated $24,000 debt load means you're looking at borrowing roughly two-thirds of that first year's salary, which creates a tighter financial window than parents usually hope for when investing in a private STEM-focused institution.

What's particularly striking is the gap between Florida Tech's estimated outcomes and the state's top performers. Similar programs at University of Florida produce starting salaries around $42,000, while Miami graduates often clear $43,000. That $6,000-7,000 annual difference compounds quickly over a career's early years. The debt estimate here also runs higher than Florida's state median of $18,375 for this field, suggesting the premium you're paying for Florida Tech's private institution status may not translate to stronger career positioning in communications.

The practical reality: communications careers in Florida don't command the salaries that tech or engineering roles do, yet you're paying tech-school tuition. Unless your student has compelling reasons to choose Florida Tech specifically—unique industry connections, specialized faculty, or co-op opportunities they can't find elsewhere—the estimated financial picture suggests exploring the state's public universities, where lower debt combined with comparable (or superior) earnings outcomes would give your graduate more breathing room to build their career.

Where Florida Institute of Technology Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all public relations, advertising, and applied communication bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Florida

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Florida (23 total in state)

Scroll to see more →

School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Florida Institute of TechnologyMelbourne	$44,360	$36,000*	—	$24,063*	—
University of MiamiCoral Gables	$59,926	$43,917*	$61,959	$18,000*	0.41
University of FloridaGainesville	$6,381	$42,099*	$58,636	$17,439*	0.41
University of Florida-OnlineGainesville	$3,876	$42,099*	$58,636	$17,439*	0.41
Florida State UniversityTallahassee	$5,656	$41,060*	$51,082	$13,849*	0.34
University of Central FloridaOrlando	$6,368	$37,388*	$44,367	$18,750*	0.50
National Median	—	$39,794*	—	$24,625*	0.62

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with public relations, advertising, and applied communication graduates

Advertising and Promotions Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate advertising policies and programs or produce collateral materials, such as posters, contests, coupons, or giveaways, to create extra interest in the purchase of a product or service for a department, an entire organization, or on an account basis.

$159,660/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Human Resources Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.

$140,030/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Public Relations Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or client.

$132,870/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Fundraising Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.

$132,870/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Training and Development Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the training and development activities and staff of an organization.

$127,090/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Technical Writers

Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.

$91,670/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Communications Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Editors

Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication.

$75,260/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Public Relations Specialists

Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media.

$69,780/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Fundraisers

Organize activities to raise funds or otherwise solicit and gather monetary donations or other gifts for an organization. May design and produce promotional materials. May also raise awareness of the organization's work, goals, and financial needs.

$66,490/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Training and Development Specialists

Design or conduct work-related training and development programs to improve individual skills or organizational performance. May analyze organizational training needs or evaluate training effectiveness.

$65,850/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Health Education Specialists

Provide and manage health education programs that help individuals, families, and their communities maximize and maintain healthy lifestyles. Use data to identify community needs prior to planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and environments. May link health systems, health providers, insurers, and patients to address individual and population health needs. May serve as resource to assist individuals, other health professionals, or the community, and may administer fiscal resources for health education programs.

$63,000/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Florida Institute of Technology, approximately 20% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 12 similar programs in FL. Actual outcomes may vary.