Communication Disorders Sciences and Services at University of Louisiana at Lafayette

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Communication Disorders program shows a troubling start but an impressive recovery trajectory. First-year earnings of $18,766 rank in just the 5th percentile nationally—well below both the national median ($24,702) and Louisiana's median ($25,281) for this major. Even among Louisiana's nine programs, this places in only the 25th percentile. However, by year four, earnings more than double to $40,057, suggesting graduates may be working part-time or in assistant roles initially before transitioning into full clinical positions or completing graduate requirements.

The debt load of $24,725 is relatively manageable compared to the first-year earnings struggle, though that 1.32 debt-to-earnings ratio means new graduates face significant financial pressure during that critical first year. The real question is whether your student can weather those lean early months—possibly with parental support or by living at home—while building toward substantially better compensation. For context, top-performing Louisiana programs like Southeastern show stronger first-year outcomes at $26,032.

This program makes sense if your child plans to pursue graduate work in speech-language pathology (where a master's degree unlocks much higher earnings) and has a financial cushion for the post-graduation transition period. If they need immediate income after graduation, the weak first-year numbers compared to other Louisiana options should give you pause about this particular program.