Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at State University of New York at Plattsburgh

SUNY Plattsburgh's communication program graduates start earning roughly the state median but show unusually strong momentum over their first four years—climbing from $40,143 to $54,719, a 36% jump that outpaces typical career trajectories in this field. That puts four-year earnings within reach of what Syracuse grads make right out of college, though you're comparing established trajectory against day-one earnings. Among New York's 28 programs, this one ranks in the 60th percentile, meaningfully above the state median of $38,828.

The debt load of $24,975 is entirely manageable given first-year earnings, creating a 0.62 ratio that shouldn't trigger financial stress for most graduates. However, the sample size here is small—under 30 graduates—which means a few outliers in either direction could be skewing these numbers significantly. The data could reflect genuinely strong outcomes, or it might just be capturing a particularly successful cohort.

For families seeking an affordable path into communications work, this looks reasonable if the earnings trajectory holds. The combination of SUNY tuition, moderate debt, and solid earning potential four years out suggests decent value. Just recognize you're making this decision on limited data—if this were based on 200 graduates instead of 30, the confidence level would be much higher.