Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Miami University-Hamilton

Miami University-Hamilton's communications program lands graduates earning $50,700 right out of school—about $11,000 more than the typical communications grad nationally and $9,000 above Ohio's median. That 95th percentile national ranking isn't just impressive on paper: it means this regional campus is matching the outcomes of the flagship Oxford campus while charging substantially less. The $25,000 median debt load is reasonable given these earnings, creating a debt-to-income ratio under 0.5 that most finance experts consider healthy.

The 28% earnings growth to $65,121 by year four suggests these graduates are landing jobs with real advancement potential, not just entry-level positions with nowhere to go. Within Ohio, this program sits at the 60th percentile—solid performance in a state where several strong communications programs compete. Notably, only the other Miami University campuses match these first-year outcomes among in-state options.

For Ohio families, this represents exceptional value: flagship-level career outcomes at a regional campus price point. The combination of strong starting salaries, manageable debt, and proven earnings trajectory makes this one of the strongest communications programs in the state for return on investment. Parents concerned about the "starving artist" stereotype of communications degrees can point to these numbers as evidence that the right program changes the equation entirely.