Communication Disorders Sciences and Services at University of New Mexico-Main Campus

The real story here isn't the low starting salary—that's typical for communication disorders undergrads who often need graduate degrees for clinical roles—but rather the dramatic 85% earnings jump to $43,447 within four years. That mid-career figure substantially outpaces what most programs in this field deliver nationally, suggesting UNM graduates are successfully transitioning into better-paying positions or completing the additional credentials this field demands.

The debt picture offers a genuine advantage. At $16,393, graduates carry roughly $4,000 less than typical New Mexico students in this major and $6,000 below the national median. Combined with that strong earnings trajectory, the debt-to-earnings ratio becomes quite manageable by year four. This matters for a field where many students take on additional debt for master's programs—starting with less undergraduate debt preserves borrowing capacity.

One important caveat: with fewer than 30 graduates in the sample, these numbers could shift considerably with more data. Among the three New Mexico schools offering this program, UNM lands in the middle—Eastern New Mexico shows slightly higher starting earnings. For families planning the common path of undergraduate preparation followed by graduate training in speech-language pathology or audiology, UNM's combination of manageable debt and accessible admission (95% acceptance rate) makes it a practical launchpad, even if that first-year salary looks concerning in isolation.