Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at Indiana University-South Bend

Starting salaries around $30,000 make this program challenging from a pure financial perspective, though the modest debt load of $22,625 keeps it from becoming unmanageable. The real concern here is Indiana context: graduates earn about $2,000 less than the state median for media programs, landing at the 40th percentile among Indiana schools. When you can attend Ball State or University of Southern Indiana and potentially earn $2,500-4,500 more annually in the same field, that gap compounds significantly over a career.

The program does perform at the national median, so this isn't uniquely problematic—it reflects the broader reality of media careers. With 41% of students receiving Pell grants, IU-South Bend serves many first-generation and lower-income students who may value staying local. For a student committed to South Bend and media work, the 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio means they'd owe less than one year's salary, which is workable if they're prepared for the lifestyle constraints of a $30,000 starting income.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) makes these numbers less reliable than data-rich programs. If your child is set on media at IU-South Bend, they need a clear plan for building experience through internships and freelance work—this field rewards hustle more than the diploma itself. Given the salary disadvantage versus other Indiana options, this makes most sense for students with strong local ties or those who need the regional campus's accessibility.