Communication and Media Studies at Lander University

Lander's communication program starts graduates at $25,271—roughly $9,000 below what other South Carolina communication programs deliver and $10,000 behind the national median. Even among SC's 25 communication programs, this ranks only at the 25th percentile, trailing not just flagship schools but regional competitors like USC Aiken and Winthrop by significant margins. The debt load of $26,500 isn't extreme, but when your first-year salary barely covers it, the financial math gets tight quickly.

The caveat here matters: with fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, these numbers could shift dramatically with a larger sample. A few graduates in lower-paying entry jobs can drag down the median unfairly. That said, the gap between Lander's outcomes and literally every comparison school—from Furman's $41,766 down to USC Aiken's $34,654—suggests this isn't just statistical noise.

For families considering this program, the question becomes whether Lander's strengths (smaller classes, lower cost of attendance) compensate for earnings that lag the state median by $9,000. If your child is paying close to sticker price or taking on maximum debt, that's a tough value proposition. If they're getting substantial merit aid or can graduate with minimal loans, the lower starting salary becomes more manageable—though they'll still be playing catch-up with peers from other SC programs.