Communication and Media Studies at Pacific University

Starting at under $24,000 a year—roughly $11.50 per hour for full-time work—Pacific University's communication graduates are earning 32% less than the typical Oregon comm major and landing in the bottom 5% nationally. Even accounting for Oregon's high concentration of media programs, this represents a significant earnings gap. Oregon State grads in the same field earn nearly twice as much ($40,737), while even regional competitors like Portland State show substantially better outcomes.

The $27,000 debt load isn't unusually high by itself, but it becomes problematic when you're earning less than living wage in one of America's more expensive states. A 1.13 debt-to-earnings ratio means more than a year's salary just to cover educational loans—before rent, food, or anything else. For context, financial aid experts typically recommend keeping this ratio below 1.0.

The critical caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 recent graduates, so individual circumstances can swing these numbers dramatically. Still, when a program sits in the bottom 5% nationally, even with a small sample, that's a red flag worth investigating. Before committing, ask Pacific directly about job placement support, internship pipelines, and where their grads actually end up working. Your child might build better career momentum starting at a community college, then transferring to Oregon State or Portland State to complete their degree—saving money while improving earnings potential.