Communication Disorders Sciences and Services at Florida State University

The most striking feature here isn't the numbers themselves—it's their reliability. With fewer than 30 graduates in the data set, these figures could swing dramatically with just a handful of different outcomes. That first-year earning of $13,371 places this program at the bottom 10th percentile among Florida's nine communication disorders programs, but it likely reflects students pursuing graduate school immediately after graduation rather than entering the workforce. Speech-language pathology, the primary career path for this major, typically requires a master's degree for clinical certification.

The explosive 333% earnings jump to $57,836 by year four suggests exactly this pattern: graduates complete additional education and then enter well-paying clinical roles. At that point, they're earning more than double the national median for bachelor's holders in this field. The modest $15,267 debt load—exactly matching Florida's median for the program—means those who do pursue graduate school start from a manageable base.

For parents, the critical question is whether your child plans to stop at the bachelor's level or continue to a master's. If they're committed to becoming a licensed speech-language pathologist, this appears to be a solid foundation despite the concerning early numbers. But if there's any chance they'll enter the job market after four years, understand they'd be starting near the bottom of Florida's range for this degree. The small sample size means next year's data could tell a completely different story.