Communication Disorders Sciences and Services at University of Iowa

The trajectory here tells the real story: University of Iowa's communication disorders graduates start below the poverty line at $21,969, then jump to over $60,000 by year four—a 177% increase that suggests many are pursuing required graduate degrees before entering the workforce. Among Iowa's limited options for this major, this program ranks in the 80th percentile, significantly outpacing University of Northern Iowa's graduates who earn just $10,746 initially.

That debt picture deserves attention. At $27,000, Iowa graduates carry more debt than the national median for this field, but the debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.23 only looks reasonable if you focus on those year-four numbers. The reality is that most students in communication disorders need a master's degree to become licensed speech-language pathologists, meaning you're likely looking at additional graduate school costs before reaching that $60,000+ earning potential. The low first-year earnings strongly suggest most graduates are either in graduate school or working in related positions that don't yet require full certification.

For parents, this means budgeting for a six-year educational investment, not four. The undergraduate degree is essentially a prerequisite, and while Iowa's program performs well within the state, you'll need to factor in graduate school expenses and delayed full-time earnings. If your child is committed to becoming an SLP, this path makes sense—but understand you're funding the first leg of a longer journey. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) also means individual circumstances can skew these numbers significantly.