Graphic Communications at University of Minnesota-Duluth

University of Minnesota-Duluth's Graphic Communications graduates earn $36,557 their first year out—about $6,000 more than the Minnesota median and 44% above the national average for this degree. That's a meaningful difference in a field where many programs struggle to reach $30,000. Among Minnesota's five programs, this sits at the 60th percentile, which means it's competitive but not extraordinary within the state. The $24,500 in debt is actually below the state median and slightly better than the national figure, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67.

The important caveat: this analysis is based on fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could shift considerably with different cohorts. Small sample sizes in specialized programs like this can be misleading—one particularly successful or unsuccessful class can skew the results significantly.

That said, the fundamentals look solid. Your child would graduate with less debt than typical for this field while earning more than most peers nationally. For a student genuinely interested in graphic communications, this appears to be a reasonable investment, especially compared to alternatives like Minneapolis College of Art and Design, which leaves graduates with comparable debt but $12,000 less in earnings. Just recognize that with such a small program, outcomes can vary more than at larger schools with more predictable patterns.