Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at SUNY at Fredonia

SUNY Fredonia's communications program starts graduates at just $33,000—roughly $6,000 below the state median and landing in the 12th percentile nationally. That's a tough beginning in an already competitive field where even top programs struggle to crack $55,000. The debt load of $23,450 is actually reasonable compared to peers, but when your starting salary barely exceeds it, the first few years will feel financially tight.

The silver lining here is trajectory: earnings jump 30% to $43,000 by year four, which suggests graduates do find their footing in the market. This puts the program at the state's 40th percentile—not stellar, but middle-of-the-pack among New York options. You're paying SUNY prices for middling outcomes, which is a different calculation than paying Syracuse's tuition for their $55,000 starting salaries. For students committed to communications and looking to minimize debt, that's arguably a fair trade.

The real question is opportunity cost. At 79% admission and serving a sizable proportion of Pell-eligible students, Fredonia provides access to a four-year degree without crushing debt. But communications students need to hustle—internships, portfolio work, networking—because this program won't open doors on name recognition alone. If your child is self-motivated and understands they'll need to create opportunities rather than have them handed to them, the modest debt makes this workable. If they're expecting the degree itself to launch their career, they'll likely be disappointed by that $33,000 starting point.