Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at Western Kentucky University

Western Kentucky's media and communication program shows troubling initial earnings—just $21,377 in the first year—that land it in the bottom 5% nationally and bottom quartile even within Kentucky. While that $28,794 in debt isn't dramatically higher than the national median, you're asking your child to take on 1.35 times their starting salary for a program that trails behind University of Kentucky grads by $7,000 annually. Among Kentucky's seven media programs, this ranks at the lower end despite WKU's accessibility (97% admission rate suggests open enrollment).

The 88% earnings growth to $40,098 by year four does tell a more encouraging story than that first-year figure suggests, potentially indicating the value of industry connections or portfolio development. However, with fewer than 30 graduates in this data set, these numbers might not represent typical outcomes. The unusually low first-year earnings could reflect temporary jobs, freelance work, or unpaid internships common in media fields.

For an anxious parent, here's the bottom line: if your child is passionate about broadcasting and willing to hustle through lean early years, the four-year earnings suggest this can lead somewhere. But they'd start with better immediate prospects at University of Kentucky or Murray State, where graduates earn 30% more right out of the gate. Given the small sample and weak initial numbers, you'd want strong evidence that your specific child would outperform these averages before committing to this path.