Communication and Media Studies at Xavier University

Xavier's communication graduates start with better-than-average earnings at nearly $40,000—outperforming 76% of similar programs nationwide. That's solid positioning for a field where the national median sits below $35,000. However, with fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, these numbers could shift significantly year to year, so they're more of a snapshot than a guarantee.

Within Ohio, the picture is less impressive. Xavier lands in the middle of the pack at the 60th percentile, trailing programs at Denison, Dayton, and even the state's larger public universities by $2,000-$7,000 annually. The debt load of $26,825 is manageable—lower than most programs nationwide—but when paired with middle-tier Ohio earnings, it creates a less competitive value proposition than you'd find at comparable schools in the state.

For an anxious parent, the decision hinges on fit versus value. If your child thrives at Xavier's smaller campus and Jesuit-focused environment, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.67 won't bury them financially. But if they're weighing purely on career outcomes, larger Ohio schools are delivering similar or better starting salaries, often with comparable debt. The small sample size means one strong or weak graduating class can dramatically skew these figures, so ask Xavier's career services for multi-year placement data before committing.