Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Piedmont University

Communications graduates from comparable programs in Georgia earn around $38,555 in their first year, placing this field slightly below the national median. With estimated debt near $26,000, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67 sits in reasonable territory—you're looking at roughly $300-400 in monthly loan payments against first-year income that translates to about $3,200 monthly before taxes.

The gap between Piedmont's peer programs and Georgia's top-tier options is worth noting. UGA communications graduates earn $45,000+ right out of the gate, nearly $7,000 more annually than the state median this program reflects. That difference compounds over time and can meaningfully affect early career financial stability. Communications isn't typically a field where starting salary jumps dramatically after a few years, so initial placement matters considerably.

For a family considering this investment, the numbers suggest manageable but not impressive returns. The debt level won't be crushing, but paired with below-average starting earnings, there's limited financial cushion in those first post-graduation years. If your student has admission options at Georgia's larger public universities where communications programs show stronger outcomes, those alternatives deserve serious consideration—especially since the earnings advantage would cover the entire four-year debt load within three years of graduation.