Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Notre Dame College

Communications programs in Ohio typically produce first-year earnings around $41,700, which is where comparable programs suggest Notre Dame College graduates land. That's slightly above the national median for this field, though meaningfully behind Ohio's top performers—Miami University's campuses report graduates earning over $50,000. The estimated debt of $26,758 creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64, meaning graduates would owe roughly eight months of their first year's salary. This sits near the manageable threshold, though with 39% of students receiving Pell grants, families should recognize that actual borrowing could vary considerably from these peer-program estimates.

The challenge here isn't just the numbers—it's the lack of specific outcome data for Notre Dame College's program. When the Department of Education can't publish earnings because too few graduates participate in the survey, parents lose visibility into how this particular program performs. Similar Ohio communications programs suggest moderate debt for moderate earnings, but without knowing whether Notre Dame College's career services, alumni network, or curriculum produce better or worse results than state averages, you're making a bet on incomplete information.

If your child is committed to communications and Notre Dame College offers specific advantages—location, campus culture, or particular faculty connections—these estimates suggest the financial burden wouldn't be catastrophic. But if they're choosing primarily on program strength, the absence of reported data means you can't verify whether this program delivers even average results for its field.