Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Lewis-Clark State College

How does a communications degree from a small Idaho college stack up against larger competitors? Lewis-Clark State's program suggests earnings around $39,794—a figure drawn from national peer programs—which lands slightly above Idaho's state median of $38,136 but essentially matches what University of Idaho graduates actually report earning. With estimated debt of $23,342 (lower than both state and national medians), the financial math works out to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59, meaning graduates would owe roughly seven months of their first-year salary.

The challenge here isn't the numbers themselves—they're actually serviceable for communications work—but the uncertainty around them. Because this program's graduate cohort is too small for the Department of Education to publish actual outcomes, we're looking at estimates modeled from similar programs nationwide. That means your child's experience could vary significantly depending on factors like where they land their first job (Boise versus Lewiston makes a real difference in Idaho's media market) and how well the specific curriculum prepares them for competitive roles.

For families comfortable with some ambiguity, this looks like a reasonably affordable path into communications work, especially if your student prefers a smaller campus environment. Just recognize you're betting on a program without a proven track record of published outcomes, so internships and portfolio-building during school become even more critical to justify the investment.