Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Xavier University

Xavier University graduates in this program start at $41,958—about 5% above the national median and roughly matching Ohio's state average. That might sound modest until you consider the debt picture: at $26,515, graduates carry slightly more than the typical Ohio student in this field, but the 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio means they're borrowing about eight months of first-year salary. For communications work, where entry-level salaries rarely wow, this is actually manageable.

The 21% earnings bump by year four tells a reassuring story. While Xavier grads don't reach the $50,700 that Miami University's three campuses report, they're climbing steadily and land in the 60th percentile among Ohio programs—ahead of most competitors despite the state having 30 options. Nationally, they rank even better at the 71st percentile, suggesting Xavier's Cincinnati location and alumni network open doors that smaller schools can't match.

For parents weighing an 88% admission rate school charging moderate debt, this program delivers what it promises: solid entry into a competitive field with reasonable borrowing and clear income growth. You won't see the instant payoff of nursing or engineering, but you also won't see your graduate struggling to cover loan payments on coffee-shop wages.