Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degree) at Our Lady of the Lake University

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$41,363

Est. from TX median (10 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$25,832

Est. from national median (79 programs)

Analysis

Our Lady of the Lake serves a predominantly working-class student body—57% receive Pell grants—and the estimated numbers here suggest a manageable entry point into communications work. Based on comparable programs in Texas, graduates might expect around $41,000 in first-year earnings against roughly $26,000 in debt. That 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio sits comfortably below the 1.0 threshold that typically signals repayment strain, and the debt figure tracks close to what similar programs nationally produce.

The earnings estimate aligns with Texas's median for this field, placing graduates in the middle of the state's communications market rather than at the premium end where UT Austin, SMU, and TCU graduates command $48,000-52,000. For families prioritizing affordability and access over maximum earning potential, this program appears positioned to deliver reasonable outcomes without the debt loads that plague many communications degrees. The financial picture looks sustainable for monthly loan payments while building a career in PR, marketing, or related fields.

The caveat: these figures come from peer programs, not tracked outcomes from OLLU's specific graduates. Before committing, press the school for concrete employment data—where recent graduates actually landed jobs, what they're earning, and how quickly they found work. The estimated numbers suggest this program won't bury students in debt, but you'll want evidence that OLLU's career support and local connections can actually deliver those mid-$40,000 positions in San Antonio's competitive communications landscape.

Where Our Lady of the Lake University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all public relations, advertising, and applied communication bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Texas

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Texas (24 total in state)

Scroll to see more →

School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Our Lady of the Lake UniversitySan Antonio	$31,728	$41,363*	—	$25,832*	—
Southern Methodist UniversityDallas	$64,460	$51,828*	$65,215	$19,750*	0.38
Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth	$57,220	$48,053*	$66,005	$24,148*	0.50
The University of Texas at AustinAustin	$11,678	$47,972*	$65,345	$20,995*	0.44
University of HoustonHouston	$9,711	$42,472*	$49,794	$23,800*	0.56
The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington	$11,728	$41,703*	$50,879	$22,639*	0.54
National Median	—	$39,794*	—	$24,625*	0.62

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with public relations, advertising, and applied communication graduates

Advertising and Promotions Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate advertising policies and programs or produce collateral materials, such as posters, contests, coupons, or giveaways, to create extra interest in the purchase of a product or service for a department, an entire organization, or on an account basis.

$159,660/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Human Resources Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.

$140,030/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Public Relations Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or client.

$132,870/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Fundraising Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.

$132,870/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Training and Development Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the training and development activities and staff of an organization.

$127,090/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Technical Writers

Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.

$91,670/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Communications Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Editors

Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication.

$75,260/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Public Relations Specialists

Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media.

$69,780/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Fundraisers

Organize activities to raise funds or otherwise solicit and gather monetary donations or other gifts for an organization. May design and produce promotional materials. May also raise awareness of the organization's work, goals, and financial needs.

$66,490/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Training and Development Specialists

Design or conduct work-related training and development programs to improve individual skills or organizational performance. May analyze organizational training needs or evaluate training effectiveness.

$65,850/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Health Education Specialists

Provide and manage health education programs that help individuals, families, and their communities maximize and maintain healthy lifestyles. Use data to identify community needs prior to planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and environments. May link health systems, health providers, insurers, and patients to address individual and population health needs. May serve as resource to assist individuals, other health professionals, or the community, and may administer fiscal resources for health education programs.

$63,000/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Our Lady of the Lake University, approximately 57% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 10 similar programs in TX. Actual outcomes may vary.