Bachelor's+13% vs national median228 grads tracked
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Elmhurst University
Ranked 12th of 79 bachelor's programs in Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$56,877
middle 50%: $40,342 – $78,794
Median · 5 years out
$70,944
middle 50%: $50,026 – $93,487
Median · 10 years out
$86,929
middle 50%: $60,272 – $122,926
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Communications graduates earn a median of $57k in their first year. This increases to $87k by the tenth year.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
5.6 yrs
≈ $6,136 total interest
Same major at other universities
Quinnipiac University
$78,691 · 5 yrs out
Fashion Institute of Technology
$74,419 · 5 yrs out
University of Oklahoma
$73,143 · 5 yrs out
University of Oregon
$72,452 · 5 yrs out
University of Georgia
$72,343 · 5 yrs out
Loyola University Chicago
$72,294 · 5 yrs out
Penn State World Campus
$68,702 · 5 yrs out
Butler University
$67,226 · 5 yrs out
Texas Tech University
$66,216 · 5 yrs out
College of Saint Scholastica
$65,986 · 5 yrs out
Dominican University
$65,035 · 5 yrs out
Kennesaw State University
$64,734 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Elmhurst University
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$118,787 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$113,771 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Master's)
$111,686 · 5 yrs out
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Master's)
$109,443 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$91,818 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$90,251 · 5 yrs out
Psychology (Master's)
$88,942 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's)
$85,633 · 5 yrs out
Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's)
$84,610 · 5 yrs out
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's)
$82,708 · 5 yrs out
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's)
$79,471 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Bachelor's)
$78,961 · 5 yrs out
Related fields of study
Communication and Media Studies
Compare universities
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
Compare universities
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
Compare universities
Journalism
Compare universities
Publishing
Compare universities
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
Compare universities