Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Washington and Lee University

Washington and Lee's communications program costs an estimated $25,800 in debt to reach first-year earnings around $40,000—figures drawn from similar programs nationally since the school's graduate cohort is too small for the Department of Education to publish actual outcomes. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.65 suggests roughly eight months of gross income to clear the debt, which falls within reasonable territory for a bachelor's degree.

What complicates the calculation here is the institution itself. With a 17% admission rate and average SAT scores above 1500, Washington and Lee attracts highly competitive students who might command stronger employment prospects regardless of major. Yet the estimated $40,000 starting salary—the national median for this field—doesn't reflect the premium you'd expect from an elite liberal arts degree. Communications and PR roles vary wildly in compensation depending on geography and employer type, and this program's small size means we simply don't know if graduates land in high-paying markets or benefit from the school's alumni network in ways the estimates can't capture.

The core question is whether Washington and Lee's institutional advantages translate into better-than-typical outcomes for communications majors. The estimated figures suggest a standard entry point for the field, not a clear boost. If your student is choosing this program for the broader liberal arts experience and campus prestige, that's one calculation. If they're banking on communications-specific career acceleration, you're investing on faith rather than evidence.