Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Southwest Baptist University

Missouri's public relations and advertising programs show a tight cluster of outcomes, with most graduates earning between $36,000 and $42,000 in their first year. Based on similar programs in the state, Southwest Baptist's communications degree appears to land right in the middle of this pack, with estimated first-year earnings around $38,000 against roughly $23,250 in debt. That's a manageable 0.61 debt-to-earnings ratio—better than both the state and national medians for this field.

The challenge is that these are estimates drawn from peer programs rather than actual outcomes for Southwest Baptist graduates, so there's inherent uncertainty in the numbers. What we do know is that the school serves a substantial population of Pell-eligible students (35%) and maintains open enrollment, suggesting it's an accessible option for students from various economic backgrounds. The field itself tends to produce fairly consistent earnings across Missouri institutions, with even the top-performing programs only reaching about $42,000—just 11% higher than the state median.

For parents, this means you're looking at a communications degree that appears financially reasonable based on what similar Missouri programs deliver, but without a clear differentiator in outcomes. The debt load seems manageable for the expected salary, but first-year earnings in this field don't leave much cushion for surprises. If your student is committed to PR or advertising specifically and values Southwest Baptist's environment, the estimated numbers suggest a workable financial path—just recognize you're making this decision with less certainty than you'd have at schools with reported data.