Communication and Media Studies at University of the Cumberlands

With nearly half its students receiving Pell grants, University of the Cumberlands serves a population where every dollar counts—which makes the $27,754 first-year salary particularly concerning. That's $7,000 below both the Kentucky median and national average for communication graduates, placing this program in the bottom quarter statewide. When nearby Eastern Kentucky University's communication graduates earn $40,429 and University of Kentucky's earn $39,311, the gap becomes harder to justify, even accounting for the small sample size that comes with fewer than 30 graduates.

The lower debt load ($19,331 versus $25,000 nationally) provides some cushion, but it doesn't offset the earnings disadvantage. That 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates carry debt equal to 70% of their first year's salary—manageable on paper, but tight when you're earning under $28,000. For context, the stronger Kentucky programs deliver both higher earnings AND comparable or lower debt burdens.

The small sample size means these numbers could shift year to year, but the pattern is worth noting: this program ranks in the 14th percentile nationally for earnings despite serving a student population that often depends on immediate post-graduation income. If your child is set on communication studies in Kentucky, the data suggests looking at larger public universities where graduate outcomes are both stronger and more predictable.