Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Otterbein University

Otterbein's communications program starts graduates at $37,430—about 10% below both the national and Ohio medians for this field. With nearly $24,000 in debt, new graduates face a manageable but not exceptional financial position. However, the four-year earnings trajectory tells a more encouraging story: graduates see income jump 46% to $54,544, eventually outpacing both state and national benchmarks. Among Ohio's 30 programs, this lands around the 40th percentile initially but likely improves substantially by year four.

The debt load is reasonable at 64% of first-year earnings, meaning graduates should be able to manage payments even during that slower first year. Still, it's worth noting this program lags Miami University's offerings by about $13,000 in starting salary and trails several other Ohio schools. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) adds uncertainty—these numbers could shift significantly with a different cohort.

For families considering Otterbein, the key question is whether the campus experience and networking justify starting behind peers at larger state schools. The strong earnings growth suggests the program does build valuable skills, but students will need patience and hustle in those early career years to bridge the gap.