Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at LeTourneau University

LeTourneau's communications program carries an estimated debt load of $25,832—higher than the state's typical $21,764 for this degree. When paired with projected first-year earnings around $41,363 (drawn from comparable Texas programs), graduates face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62. That's manageable on paper, but the premium you're paying over state peers doesn't translate into higher earning potential. The university's 41% admission rate and strong SAT scores suggest a competitive environment, yet the earnings estimates place this program squarely in the middle of the Texas pack, well behind what graduates from UT Austin, TCU, or SMU typically command.

The bigger uncertainty here is what these estimates don't capture about LeTourneau specifically. As a private Christian university in a smaller East Texas city, the career services network and employer connections may differ significantly from larger urban programs. Communications degrees live and die by internship access and industry proximity—factors that peer program data can't reveal. With only 13% of students receiving Pell grants, most families here are paying out of pocket or taking on that debt themselves.

If your child is drawn to LeTourneau's faith-based environment and smaller campus setting, understand that you're making a values-based choice rather than a financial optimization. The estimated numbers suggest this program won't saddle graduates with crushing debt, but it's unlikely to deliver the salary boost that would justify its higher-than-typical borrowing compared to more affordable Texas public options.