Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Wilmington University

Wilmington University's communications program stands above the national median for earnings while keeping debt notably lower than most competitors. First-year graduates earn $40,408—above the $39,794 national median—while carrying $32,308 in debt, which lands in the 5th percentile nationally. That's a meaningful advantage: most programs in this field saddle students with significantly more debt for similar outcomes. The 0.80 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests graduates can manage repayment without overwhelming financial strain.

As the only program of its kind tracked in Delaware, direct state comparisons aren't possible, but the earnings figure sits comfortably in the middle of the national pack (56th percentile). For a field where entry-level salaries often require patience, starting within $2,000 of the 75th percentile nationally while avoiding excessive debt is a reasonable tradeoff.

The significant caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates reported data, which means a handful of outliers could skew these numbers substantially. This program could look quite different with a larger cohort. Still, the debt advantage is real and substantial enough to warrant consideration, particularly if your child plans to stay in the region where Wilmington's professional connections might compensate for the school's limited national profile. Just recognize you're making this decision with limited data points.