Communication Disorders Sciences and Services at University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

UC-Cincinnati's Communication Disorders program shows impressive earnings growth—graduates more than double their income from $23,758 in year one to $48,237 by year four—but that first year presents a real hurdle. With debt at $26,000, new graduates face a debt-to-earnings ratio above 1.0, meaning they owe more than they earn initially. However, the program keeps borrowing relatively low (12th percentile nationally), and by year four, that debt burden becomes much more manageable as earnings rise substantially.

Within Ohio, this program ranks at the median for first-year earnings but performs reasonably compared to the state average. It's worth noting that top Ohio programs like Kent State ($27,742) start graduates about $4,000 higher, which could make those critical first-year finances easier. The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift with more data, so they shouldn't be treated as definitive.

The real question is whether your child can manage that challenging first year financially—possibly with part-time work or living at home—to reach the stronger earnings that come later. This field typically requires graduate education for the best jobs, so if your child plans to continue to a master's program, that first-year income matters less than the relatively modest debt load they'll carry forward.