Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Winona State University

Minnesota's communications programs cluster tightly around $40,000 in first-year earnings, and this program's estimated trajectory—based on national peer data—suggests Winona State fits that pattern. With debt estimated at $23,342, you're looking at a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59, which means graduates would need to dedicate about seven months of their first-year income to clear the balance. That's manageable but hardly exceptional for a field where earnings typically stay modest in early career stages.

What matters more is understanding the regional reality: communications graduates in Minnesota generally start near $40,000 regardless of which state school they attend, from Northwestern-St. Paul at $41,278 down to Moorhead at $39,198. The field itself—not the specific program—sets these boundaries. Winona State's estimated debt sits slightly below both state and national medians, which provides a small cushion, but you're still financing an entry into a competitive industry where connections and portfolio work often matter as much as the degree itself.

The practical question is whether your student has specific career goals that justify this investment. If they're targeting corporate communications roles in Minnesota's larger metro areas, the debt load won't derail them. But if graduate school is likely down the road, or if they're uncertain about the field, starting with lower debt elsewhere—or testing their interest through internships first—makes more financial sense.