Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion

Indiana Wesleyan's communications program produces graduates earning $48,225 in their first year—putting them in the 95th percentile nationally and nearly $10,000 above the national median for this major. That's impressive performance for a field where starting salaries are often modest. The program ties for the highest earnings among Indiana's 16 communications programs, suggesting strong employer connections or curriculum relevance in the region.

The tradeoff comes in the debt load. At $32,082, graduates carry about $7,500 more debt than the national median for this program, though the 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable—graduates would need roughly two-thirds of their first year's salary to pay off loans. When you factor in Indiana Wesleyan's 82% admission rate and moderate selectivity, this isn't a case of elite credentials driving the outcomes; something about the program itself is working.

For parents, the calculus is straightforward: you're paying a premium upfront (via higher debt) but getting above-market earnings immediately after graduation. Whether that premium is worth it depends on your family's financial situation and alternative options. If your child is considering communications programs at Ball State ($38,020 starting salary) or other Indiana schools with lower earnings, the extra $10,000+ in annual income here could justify the additional debt within a few years.