Communication Disorders Sciences and Services at University of Redlands

The most striking feature of University of Redlands' Communication Disorders program is the dramatic earnings trajectory—from $21,354 in year one to $59,432 by year four, representing 178% growth. This pattern likely reflects graduates pursuing graduate degrees in speech-language pathology, where a master's is required for clinical licensure. That first-year figure makes sense if many students are working part-time or as assistants while completing their master's work.

However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly with a different cohort. What we can observe is that graduates here start with lower earnings than the state median of $24,594, ranking just at the 40th percentile among California's 18 programs. The debt load of $25,000 is actually higher than both the state median ($18,006) and national median ($22,362), while initial earnings lag behind—a combination worth noting since several Cal State campuses produce graduates earning $28,000-$38,000 in their first year for comparable debt or less.

If your child plans to complete a master's degree (the typical path in this field), that strong year-four number suggests good outcomes for those who persist. But the initial debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.17 means managing loan payments during graduate school could be challenging. With limited data points, it's difficult to say whether this program consistently delivers that impressive earnings growth or if this cohort is an outlier.