# Western Michigan University: Public Relations and Advertising (bachelor's)

Kalamazoo, MI. IPEDS 172699, CIP 09.09. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-michigan-university/majors/public-relations-and-advertising

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $37,718
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $64,127 (U.S. median for this major: $62,264 across 173 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $27,000 (U.S. median $24,722)
- Rank in MI: 3 of 10 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the MI median for this major (10 colleges, $59,724): +$4,403
- Versus the U.S. median: +$1,863

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.61 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $64,127 minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $5,263 | $24,262 | under 1 year |
| 30-48k | $5,734 | $26,434 | under 1 year |
| 48-75k | $13,833 | $63,770 | 2.1 years |
| 75-110k | $18,307 | $84,395 | 2.7 years |
| 110k+ | $23,625 | $108,911 | 3.5 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Public Relations and Advertising at MI colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State University | $69,300 | $23,899 | $19,680 | 81% |
| Northwood University | $68,008 | $20,250 | $27,232 | 63% |
| Western Michigan University | $64,127 | $27,000 | $15,273 | 58% |
| Siena Heights University | $62,530 | $24,900 | $17,124 | 39% |
| Eastern Michigan University | $59,927 | $24,755 | $15,407 | 46% |
| Central Michigan University | $59,522 | $27,000 | $17,597 | 59% |
| Wayne State University | $59,025 | $27,000 | $12,766 | 58% |
| Grand Valley State University | $57,599 | $26,377 | $16,317 | 67% |
| Calvin University | $52,281 | not reported | $22,992 | 74% |
| Ferris State University | $51,396 | $22,580 | $8,624 | 47% |

## Careers
- Public relations specialist (SOC 27-3030): median wage $61,660 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, $65,300 MI, $74,750 U.S.; U.S. jobs 1.8% by 2035
- Training and Development Specialists (SOC 13-1151): median wage $63,900 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, $64,350 MI, $69,280 U.S.; U.S. jobs 10.8% by 2035
- Human Resources Managers (SOC 11-3121): median wage $131,350 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, $138,930 MI, $149,280 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).