Communication and Media Studies at McKendree University

With first-year earnings around $36,000 based on comparable Illinois programs, McKendree's Communication and Media Studies degree faces the fundamental challenge affecting most media programs: modest starting salaries that make even manageable debt feel constraining. The estimated $24,000 in debt puts the ratio at 0.67—reasonable on paper, but when your monthly paycheck runs around $2,250 after taxes, those loan payments cut deep.

The bigger concern is the gap between McKendree and Illinois programs that report actual outcomes. Northwestern's $52,000 starting figure represents a different stratosphere, but even mid-tier options like Elmhurst and Augustana are placing graduates $5,000-6,000 ahead. Since we're working with estimates here—drawn from peer programs across Illinois—we can't know whether McKendree's specific outcomes match, exceed, or trail these figures. What's clear is that communication degrees rarely command premium salaries early on, and success depends heavily on landing the right internships and building connections in competitive markets like Chicago.

For parents, this means the decision hinges less on the numbers (which cluster near state and national norms) and more on whether your student has concrete plans to leverage location, alumni networks, or specific program strengths. Without that strategic clarity, a degree that leaves you with $24,000 in debt and $36,000 in earnings offers little margin for career trial and error.