Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degree) at Western New England University

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$46,383

Est. from MA median (4 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$27,000

Est. from MA median (4 programs)

Analysis

Similar communications programs in Massachusetts suggest first-year earnings around $46,000—a figure that sits comfortably above the $40,000 national median and matches the state average. With estimated debt of $27,000, the ratio of 0.58 looks manageable on paper, roughly translating to about seven months of gross salary to cover what graduates typically owe.

The challenge is that this estimate comes from just four comparable programs statewide, and the actual range among Massachusetts schools is surprisingly wide. Assumption grads reportedly earn over $51,000 while Emerson grads start at just $29,000—both supposedly in the same field. Communications careers vary wildly depending on whether you land in corporate PR, agency work, or nonprofit communications, which makes these broad estimates less reliable than you'd want for a $27,000 investment.

What matters here is recognizing that communications success depends heavily on internships, portfolio work, and connections—factors that don't show up in any database. Before committing to Western New England's program at this debt level, dig into their internship placement rate, alumni network strength in Boston or Springfield media markets, and career services track record. The estimated numbers suggest a reasonable starting point, but individual outcomes in this field diverge enough that the program's practical support systems matter more than the statistical averages.

Where Western New England University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all public relations, advertising, and applied communication bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in Massachusetts

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Massachusetts (12 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Western New England UniversitySpringfield	$46,430	$46,383*	—	$27,000*	—
Assumption UniversityWorcester	$49,414	$51,114*	$60,628	$27,000*	0.53
Endicott CollegeBeverly	$39,212	$47,903*	$58,417	$27,000*	0.56
Suffolk UniversityBoston	$45,380	$44,863*	$56,527	$27,000*	0.60
Emerson CollegeBoston	$55,392	$28,606*	$60,272	$24,625*	0.86
National Median	—	$39,794*	—	$24,625*	0.62

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with public relations, advertising, and applied communication graduates

Advertising and Promotions Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate advertising policies and programs or produce collateral materials, such as posters, contests, coupons, or giveaways, to create extra interest in the purchase of a product or service for a department, an entire organization, or on an account basis.

$159,660/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Human Resources Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.

$140,030/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Public Relations Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or client.

$132,870/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Fundraising Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.

$132,870/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Training and Development Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the training and development activities and staff of an organization.

$127,090/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Technical Writers

Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.

$91,670/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Communications Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Editors

Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication.

$75,260/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Public Relations Specialists

Promote or create an intended public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. May write or select material for release to various communications media. May specialize in using social media.

$69,780/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Fundraisers

Organize activities to raise funds or otherwise solicit and gather monetary donations or other gifts for an organization. May design and produce promotional materials. May also raise awareness of the organization's work, goals, and financial needs.

$66,490/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Training and Development Specialists

Design or conduct work-related training and development programs to improve individual skills or organizational performance. May analyze organizational training needs or evaluate training effectiveness.

$65,850/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Health Education Specialists

Provide and manage health education programs that help individuals, families, and their communities maximize and maintain healthy lifestyles. Use data to identify community needs prior to planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and environments. May link health systems, health providers, insurers, and patients to address individual and population health needs. May serve as resource to assist individuals, other health professionals, or the community, and may administer fiscal resources for health education programs.

$63,000/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Western New England University, approximately 25% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 4 similar programs in MA. Actual outcomes may vary.