Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication graduates from George Washington University earn $101,932 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $51,254.
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia • Master's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at George Washington University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for George Washington University and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at the master's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 78 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at George Washington University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $101,932 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $70,153 across all institutions offering Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at George Washington University, the mean median-earnings figure is $92,024, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication graduates at George Washington University is $51,254, which translates to roughly $427 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.50 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| School of Visual Arts | $126,448 | — |
| Georgetown University | $115,091 | $49,149 |
| George Washington University (this school) | $101,932 | $51,254 |
| American University | $97,932 | $53,268 |
| Northwestern University | $96,250 | $54,057 |
| University of Colorado Boulder | $90,274 | — |
| Boston University | $90,212 | $39,224 |
| Marist University | $90,060 | $20,656 |
| University of Southern California | $89,760 | $82,426 |
| California Baptist University | $89,265 | $23,171 |
Other Programs at George Washington University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering-Related Fields | $180,549 | $58,963 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $177,867 | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $168,934 | $63,497 |
| Systems Engineering | $154,767 | $37,964 |
| Computer Science | $150,716 | $19,500 |
| Information Science/Studies | $149,469 | — |
| Systems Engineering | $146,893 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $146,816 | $61,500 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $146,501 | $41,000 |
| Law | $140,848 | $176,325 |
Other Schools with Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.