Communication and Media Studies at Oak Hills Christian College

A $27,000 debt load is manageable in absolute terms, but the estimated first-year earnings of $40,400—derived from similar Minnesota programs—reveal the fundamental challenge of communication degrees anywhere. That figure puts this program right at Minnesota's median for the field but only slightly above the national benchmark of $35,000, and well behind the state's top performers like Gustavus Adolphus ($50,000) and Concordia-Saint Paul ($46,300). With 45% of students receiving Pell grants, Oak Hills serves students who likely can't afford to earn less than their debt in year one.

The 0.67 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests graduates could theoretically manage their loans, but communication careers often start slowly and require expensive metro-area living, which $40,400 doesn't comfortably cover. Similar programs in Minnesota show a wide earnings spread—from under $30,000 to over $50,000—meaning the school environment, network strength, and internship pipeline matter enormously. Since Oak Hills' actual outcomes aren't reported due to small graduate cohorts, you're making this decision without knowing where on that spectrum their specific graduates land. Small programs can offer mentorship advantages, but they can also lack the alumni networks and employer relationships that boost early-career earnings in competitive fields like media and communications.

Given the uncertainty and the field's modest starting salaries even at stronger programs, this investment only makes sense if your student has clear career goals, strong networking skills, and realistic expectations about starting pay in communications work.