Communication and Media Studies at Wartburg College

Wartburg's communication program punches above its weight nationally—graduates earn $40,255 in their first year, placing them in the 78th percentile compared to communication programs across the country. That's $5,300 more than the typical graduate in this field makes. However, within Iowa, these earnings land closer to the middle of the pack (40th percentile), trailing nearby competitors like Luther College and UNI by $1,300-$1,800.

The debt picture offers some reassurance: at $26,750, borrowing sits just above both national and state medians, translating to a manageable 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio. Graduates can expect to pay roughly two-thirds of their first-year salary in total debt—not trivial, but far from the concerning ratios we see in many liberal arts programs. The modest 8% earnings growth over four years suggests steady employment rather than rapid career acceleration, which is fairly typical for communications graduates.

The main caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 recent graduates reported earnings data, so individual outcomes could vary significantly. For families choosing between Iowa schools, Wartburg delivers solid national results at a similar debt load to state competitors, though it doesn't clearly outperform nearby alternatives. If your child has admission offers from Luther or UNI, compare financial aid packages carefully since starting salaries are comparable.