Public Relations & Advertising at Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
49
Optimistic
48
Base Case
49
Pessimistic
Earnings
$37,718/yr (-4% vs median)
AI Risk
High (51% exposed)
Job Market
Very Large (161,400 openings/yr)
ROI
9.4x earnings multiple (7.5x out-of-state)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Public Relations & Advertising graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $584K | $574K | $524K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 9.5x | 9.4x | 8.6x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 7.6x | 7.5x | 6.9x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 62% | 55% | 40% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 49 | 48 | 49 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$61,192
Out-of-state: $76,392 (7.5x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$25,146
8.0 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$57,951
54% growth from Year 1
About Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University has a 85% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, enrolling 12,704 students in Kalamazoo, MI.
See all programs and financial aid at Western Michigan University →Top Career Paths
Human resources managers
$140,030/yr
Public relations managers
$138,520/yr
Training and development managers
$127,090/yr
Compare & Explore
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Public Relations & Advertising at Western Michigan University?
A score of 48/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Public Relations & Advertising. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Public Relations & Advertising careers?
With 51% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $524,497 in decade earnings vs $584,017 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →