Communication and Media Studies at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

A $28,951 starting salary puts UAFS communication graduates roughly $4,500 below their peers at other Arkansas schools and $6,000 below the national median. While the small sample size means these numbers could shift with more data, the gap is substantial enough to warrant attention—graduates here earn about what the state's top programs pay, but only after their peers have had several years of career growth.

The debt load itself is manageable at $23,000, slightly below both state and national averages. But paired with those lower earnings, graduates face a tighter financial picture in those crucial early career years. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79 means nearly 80% of a year's salary goes to debt, before taxes and living expenses. Compare this to University of Arkansas grads earning $40,000 with similar debt—they have significantly more breathing room.

For families considering this program, the core question is whether the access and affordability of UAFS (with its 81% admission rate and substantial Pell Grant population) outweigh the earnings trade-off. If your student has admission options at Arkansas State or U of A, those programs deliver $11,000-$12,000 more in starting salary for essentially the same debt. However, if UAFS offers in-state proximity or represents the most realistic path to a degree, the debt burden itself isn't crushing—just expect a tighter budget those first few years out.