How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $24,625.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 7% below the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication bachelor's degree at Emerson College

Q: How much do Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication bachelor's degree graduates from Emerson College earn?

The reported median is $59,301 four years after completion.

Boston, MA · Private nonprofit

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to similar programs.

$4,259 below the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 41.5% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff: −62% · Negative payoff
Available price data: College-wide context only

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →

$0Annual price−$36,990

$14,000Annual price−$92,990

$28,000Annual price−$148,990

$42,000Annual price−$204,990

$49,000Current college-wide context−$232,990

$56,000Annual price−$260,990

$70,000Annual price−$316,990

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+120%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$28,606 → $63,073

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

Not availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

16Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

38Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

1Recent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential

NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

158Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

31Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

60Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

115Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

25Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$59,301$24,493 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 37 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$49,180

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$24,625

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$59,301

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$261/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$49,180Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$80,399Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE51.3%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE77.1%Institution-wide completion rate

WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$28,606Year 1

$59,301Year 4

$63,073Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

5.3% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$4,942

Estimated loan payment$261

38borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$59,301 vs. $63,560

$4,259 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median

WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.

Communications Teachers, Postsecondary$82,610 median wageMA estimate · 1,110 jobs · 25-1122$65,920–$100,940 middle 50% of MA wages+2.1% projected U.S. growth · 2,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreePublic Relations Specialists$79,660 median wageMA estimate · 6,760 jobs · 27-3031$61,410–$107,220 middle 50% of MA wages+1.8% projected U.S. growth · 23,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePublic Relations Managers$171,740 median wageMA estimate · 2,170 jobs · 11-2032$121,570–$215,490 middle 50% of MA wages+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 6,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeAdvertising and Promotions Managers$163,090 median wageMA estimate · 300 jobs · 11-2011$100,490–$195,240 middle 50% of MA wages-3.7% projected U.S. growth · 2,300 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraising Managers$151,740 median wageMA estimate · 2,260 jobs · 11-2033$107,450–$204,560 middle 50% of MA wages+5.4% projected U.S. growth · 3,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeFundraisers$79,060 median wageMA estimate · 6,160 jobs · 13-1131$60,570–$102,990 middle 50% of MA wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 10,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeNews Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists$62,200 median wageU.S. estimate · 810 jobs · 27-3023-5.9% projected U.S. growth · 3,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeHuman Resources Managers$181,780 median wageMA estimate · 7,540 jobs · 11-3121$136,600–$229,510 middle 50% of MA wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 16,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeTraining and Development Managers$133,000 median wageU.S. estimate · 48,050 jobs · 11-3131+6.4% projected U.S. growth · 4,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeTechnical Writers$109,200 median wageMA estimate · 1,850 jobs · 27-3042$86,060–$134,620 middle 50% of MA wages+0.8% projected U.S. growth · 3,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEditors$83,170 median wageMA estimate · 3,100 jobs · 27-3041$61,490–$103,620 middle 50% of MA wages-1.1% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeAgents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes$82,890 median wageU.S. estimate · 80 jobs · 13-1011+9.7% projected U.S. growth · 2,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree

Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Beverly, MA

Endicott College

$17,952 higher earnings · $8,526 lower annual net price

Earnings: $77,253
Debt: $27,000
Annual net price: $40,654

View outcomes →

Worcester, MA

Assumption University

$15,599 higher earnings · $19,682 lower annual net price

Earnings: $74,900
Debt: $27,000
Annual net price: $29,498

View outcomes →

Boston, MA

Suffolk University

$7,408 higher earnings · $19,562 lower annual net price

Earnings: $66,709
Debt: $27,000
Annual net price: $29,618

View outcomes →

Dallas, TX

Southern Methodist University

$30,029 higher earnings · $4,875 less debt · $8,288 lower annual net price

Earnings: $89,330
Debt: $19,750
Annual net price: $40,892

View outcomes →

Compare these programs →

DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

16 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →