Communication and Media Studies at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Starting around $32,500 might sound modest, but what's more concerning here is the trajectory: this puts graduates below both the Illinois median ($35,991) and the national average for communications majors. When Northwestern grads in this same field earn $52,000 and even mid-tier Illinois programs cluster around $40,000-$42,000, SIU-Carbondale's outcomes land squarely in the bottom half of the state (40th percentile). The debt load itself isn't catastrophic at $26,543, but it's also higher than what other Illinois communications programs typically charge.

The practical reality is that earning $32,465 makes it challenging to manage even moderate student debt while covering basic living expenses. Communications degrees work best when they open doors to competitive metro markets, but these numbers suggest graduates may struggle to break into Chicago's media scene or similar hubs where the degree could pay off. The 90% admission rate and lower test scores indicate this is an accessible option, which has value, but accessibility doesn't translate to post-graduation earning power here.

If your child is set on communications and SIU-Carbondale specifically, they should minimize borrowing and plan to hustle aggressively for internships that could lead to better initial placements. Otherwise, look at Illinois schools where communications grads are earning $8,000-$10,000 more right out of the gate—that gap compounds significantly over time.