Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Saint Xavier University

Similar communications programs in Illinois suggest first-year earnings around $41,000—right in line with the state and national medians—paired with an estimated $26,000 in debt. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63 falls within reasonable territory for liberal arts degrees, though it's not the bargain you'd find at some larger public universities in the state.

The challenge is competitive context. Illinois houses some heavyweight programs in this field: North Central and University of Illinois graduates are earning closer to $48,000, a $7,000 premium over what peer programs at similar schools typically produce. Saint Xavier serves a predominantly working-class student body (56% on Pell grants), which makes affordability particularly important. The estimated debt load, while manageable in absolute terms, becomes trickier when you're not seeing the earnings boost that justifies premium tuition.

For a field as network-dependent as communications, where internship quality and alumni connections matter enormously, you're betting that Saint Xavier's Chicago location and support systems can close that earnings gap. The 86% admission rate suggests less selectivity than top-tier competitors, which often correlates with fewer on-campus recruiting opportunities. If your child has access to the higher-performing programs in this state—particularly the public options—those provide clearer value. Otherwise, keeping total debt well below this $26,000 estimate becomes essential to making the numbers work on a communications salary.