Communication and Media Studies at Ottawa University-Kansas City

Ottawa University-Kansas City's Communication and Media Studies program sits right at Kansas's median for earnings, but that's actually outpacing schools like Wichita State. The $33,465 first-year salary falls slightly below the national median, yet the debt load of $27,000 is lower than typical—putting this in the 25th percentile nationally, meaning most programs saddle students with more debt.

The 0.81 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable territory; graduates are earning more than they owe, which isn't always the case for humanities degrees. Nearly half of students here receive Pell grants, suggesting this program serves students who might not have other options for accessing higher education. While top Kansas programs like KU and Washburn deliver notably higher earnings ($40,772 and $39,932 respectively), they also typically come with different price tags and admission requirements.

The significant caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes could vary considerably from these medians. For a family weighing the investment, this program appears positioned as a middle-ground option—not the highest-earning path in Kansas for communications, but relatively affordable and producing graduates who can manage their debt on entry-level media salaries. If your child is set on communications and Kansas, the stronger programs are worth exploring first, but this isn't a financially dangerous choice.