Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Marymount Manhattan College

Marymount Manhattan's PR and communications program produces graduates earning about $41,700 their first year out—roughly $3,000 more than the typical New York program in this field and nearly $2,000 above the national median. Among the state's 28 programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile, placing it solidly in the upper half despite operating in one of the most competitive communications markets in the country. The $25,000 median debt translates to a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60, meaning graduates owe about seven months of their first-year salary.

The challenge here is the small sample size—fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset—which means these numbers could swing significantly year to year. That said, the program's performance relative to much larger schools is noteworthy. Marymount graduates earn nearly as much as those from Hofstra ($42,030) and more than those from Ithaca College ($39,446), both better-known institutions. Whether this reflects the school's industry connections in Manhattan or just statistical noise from the small cohort is hard to say with certainty.

For a student planning to stay in New York City's media and communications ecosystem, this program appears reasonably positioned. The debt level is in line with state norms, and the earnings suggest graduates are finding entry-level positions at competitive salaries. Just recognize you're looking at a limited data snapshot rather than a multi-year trend.