Business/Corporate Communications at University of Mary

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56 suggests a manageable financial picture for this program, with estimated debt at $23,250 against first-year earnings around $41,494—based on what similar corporate communications programs produce nationally. That's nearly half a year's salary in debt, which is reasonable for a bachelor's degree. What makes this particularly interesting is that these national benchmarks appear stronger than what North Dakota State reports for its comparable program ($36,513), though with only two programs in the state, that comparison has limits.

University of Mary's corporate communications degree appears positioned near the national median rather than the state median, which could reflect either the program's focus or the types of employers its graduates pursue. At $41,494, peer programs suggest earnings that support the debt load without stretching too thin. The relatively low Pell grant percentage (18%) hints at a student body that may have additional family resources, which can ease the pressure of that initial debt burden.

For parents, the core question is whether this specific program will mirror the national patterns used to generate these estimates. The debt load is workable if earnings materialize as projected, but without reported outcomes from University of Mary itself, you're betting that this program performs like the national average rather than the lower North Dakota baseline. If your student plans to stay in Bismarck, verify what local employers actually pay corporate communications graduates—that matters more than any estimate.