Communication and Media Studies at Ottawa University-Online

Ottawa University-Online's communication program sits right at the Kansas median for earnings ($33,465), but graduates here carry slightly less debt than typical—$27,000 versus the state median of $25,159. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81, graduates would need about 10 months of their full salary to cover their loans, which is manageable. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly with more data, and they tell us more about a handful of individual outcomes than a reliable program-wide pattern.

The real challenge is that communication degrees from Kansas schools generally trail their in-state counterparts. Even the top program at University of Kansas only reaches $40,772—still below the national 75th percentile of $39,662. Ottawa's online graduates earn about $7,300 less than KU graduates, placing them near the bottom of Kansas options despite ranking at the 60th percentile statewide. Nationally, this program performs below average at the 42nd percentile.

For families weighing this investment, the relatively low debt load is a plus, but the modest earning potential means graduates will likely face real budget constraints early in their careers. If your child is set on communications, comparing the online program's outcomes and cost to Ottawa's traditional campus (which shows identical earnings) or considering Kansas's higher-performing options would be prudent before committing.