Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at Marquette University

Marquette's media program produces first-year earnings of $35,720—well above both the national median of $29,976 and Wisconsin's $31,107 for this field. While the estimated $24,013 in debt comes from peer institutions rather than this specific program's graduates, the 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable monthly payments even in those crucial early career years when media jobs typically pay least. More importantly, earnings jump 64% by year four to $58,618, a trajectory that significantly outpaces most media programs where graduates often plateau in the low-to-mid $30,000s.

The comparison to UW-Oshkosh, where reported first-year earnings sit at $26,494, hints at what Marquette's Milwaukee location and industry connections might offer. Media careers depend heavily on access to markets and internship pipelines, and a $9,000 earnings advantage straight out of school isn't trivial in a field where many graduates struggle to break $30,000. The 19% Pell grant enrollment suggests this isn't primarily serving students with substantial family resources, yet outcomes exceed those at more selective media programs elsewhere.

The caveat: without actual debt data for this program, you're making an educated guess based on typical Marquette borrowing patterns. If your student can verify their likely debt load through financial aid projections and it stays near that $24,000 estimate, the earnings trajectory makes this a reasonable investment for someone committed to media work in a city with actual broadcasting and digital media employers.