Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Suffolk University

Suffolk's communications program costs more than the national average but delivers earnings that tell two different stories depending on your comparison point. Nationally, graduates earn $44,863 in their first year—well above the median of $39,794 and ranking in the 85th percentile among 461 programs. That sounds impressive until you zoom into Massachusetts, where this same salary lands in just the 40th percentile. In Boston's media and marketing hub, Suffolk graduates are earning less than those from nearby Assumption or Endicott, despite the $27,000 in debt being identical to the state median.

The good news is the debt burden itself is manageable. At 0.60 times first-year earnings, graduates owe less than they'll earn in their first year—a healthy ratio that ranks in the 5th percentile nationally (meaning only 5% of similar programs have less debt). Strong 26% earnings growth to $56,527 by year four suggests graduates find their footing over time.

For Massachusetts families, here's the tension: you're paying for a Boston location and the access that theoretically provides, yet graduate outcomes lag behind several state competitors. If your child is drawn to Suffolk's urban campus and smaller class environment, the debt load won't be crushing. But if maximizing early-career earnings is the priority, other Massachusetts programs are outperforming at similar price points.