Publishing at Susquehanna University

The $17,585 first-year salary for Susquehanna's Publishing program should immediately concern any parent considering this investment. That figure—less than $9 per hour for full-time work—suggests most graduates are taking unpaid or barely-paid internships, freelancing, or working part-time roles while trying to break into the publishing industry. Against $27,000 in debt, you're looking at a debt burden 54% larger than that first year's earnings.

Here's the critical caveat: publishing is an extraordinarily small field at the bachelor's level, offered by just nine schools nationwide. The data here comes from fewer than 30 graduates, making these numbers statistically unreliable. What looks like "95th percentile" earnings nationally is actually identical to the national median—$17,585—because the sample is so tiny. The field's traditional career path involves accepting poverty wages early in hopes of later advancement, which this data can't track.

If your child is serious about publishing, this program won't close doors—but neither will dozens of cheaper alternatives. English or communications degrees from state schools cost less and offer similar industry access. Unless your family can comfortably absorb $27,000 in debt while supporting a child making barely minimum wage for potentially years, this represents a significant financial risk for an outcome you could achieve more affordably elsewhere.