Communication and Media Studies: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 09.01. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 2,156 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 150 | 1,392 | $35,276 | $43,761 | $19,581 6 programs |
| Associate's degree | 312 | 5,252 | $33,346 | $43,243 | $12,063 13 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 1,184 | 43,556 | $42,882 | $56,359 | $22,718 548 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 9 | 0 | $84,206 | $75,112 | $19,839 2 programs |
| Master's degree | 339 | 4,205 | $57,939 | $71,953 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 89 | 538 | $71,608 | $77,931 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 72 | 266 | $63,530 | $85,397 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus PA · Public · 73 graduates measured | $54,433 | $68,990 | $25,898 |
| Full Sail University FL · Private, for-profit · 582 graduates measured | $32,548 | $37,679 | $19,662 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Public University System WV · Private, for-profit · 22 graduates measured | $48,257 | $42,077 | $14,583 |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus OH · Public · 19 graduates measured | $42,459 | $55,995 | Data unavailable |
| University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College OH · Public · 19 graduates measured | $42,459 | $55,995 | Data unavailable |
| Nassau Community College NY · Public · 16 graduates measured | $36,800 | $47,054 | $10,342 |
| Central New Mexico Community College NM · Public · 16 graduates measured | $35,180 | $38,064 | Data unavailable |
| CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College NY · Public · 37 graduates measured | $30,638 | $43,763 | Data unavailable |
| Montgomery County Community College PA · Public · 16 graduates measured | $30,203 | $39,366 | $14,250 |
| College of Western Idaho ID · Public · 17 graduates measured | $28,211 | $47,282 | $5,754 |
| Dutchess Community College NY · Public · 21 graduates measured | $27,597 | $30,308 | Data unavailable |
| UCNJ Union College of Union County New Jersey NJ · Public · 18 graduates measured | $27,517 | $37,008 | Data unavailable |
| Full Sail University FL · Private, for-profit · 43 graduates measured | $26,022 | $37,309 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center NY · Public · 56 graduates measured | $65,607 | $72,564 | $17,687 |
| University of Pennsylvania PA · Private, nonprofit · 37 graduates measured | $65,287 | $114,266 | Data unavailable |
| Northwestern University IL · Private, nonprofit · 45 graduates measured | $64,034 | $93,541 | $20,500 |
| Cornell University NY · Private, nonprofit · 65 graduates measured | $63,499 | $88,463 | $9,125 |
| Santa Clara University CA · Private, nonprofit · 68 graduates measured | $62,295 | $84,206 | $19,500 |
| The University of Arizona Global Campus AZ · Private, for-profit · 70 graduates measured | $61,299 | $61,909 | $20,685 |
| Wake Forest University NC · Private, nonprofit · 60 graduates measured | $59,986 | $77,984 | $18,862 |
| The Catholic University of America DC · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $59,810 | $73,073 | $26,000 |
| Colorado State University Global CO · Public · 36 graduates measured | $59,368 | $62,743 | Data unavailable |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo CA · Public · 74 graduates measured | $59,292 | $75,223 | $15,768 |
| Southern Methodist University TX · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $57,636 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Villanova University PA · Private, nonprofit · 99 graduates measured | $57,318 | $81,497 | $21,750 |
| University of Southern California CA · Private, nonprofit · 182 graduates measured | $57,017 | $75,864 | $16,875 |
| Denison University OH · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $56,751 | $66,730 | $25,000 |
| Saint Mary's College IN · Private, nonprofit · 26 graduates measured | $56,729 | $66,335 | $25,400 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purdue University-Main Campus IN · Public · 56 graduates measured | $85,775 | Data unavailable | $20,125 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia University in the City of New York NY · Private, nonprofit · 43 graduates measured | $93,048 | $120,003 | Data unavailable |
| Northwestern University IL · Private, nonprofit · 62 graduates measured | $88,413 | $116,101 | Data unavailable |
| George Mason University VA · Public · 17 graduates measured | $83,092 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Johns Hopkins University MD · Private, nonprofit · 109 graduates measured | $82,189 | $107,409 | Data unavailable |
| Washington State University WA · Public · 55 graduates measured | $81,652 | $86,450 | Data unavailable |
| Purdue University-Main Campus IN · Public · 218 graduates measured | $76,161 | $84,920 | Data unavailable |
| Westminster University UT · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $74,068 | $83,871 | Data unavailable |
| American University DC · Private, nonprofit · 78 graduates measured | $72,279 | $94,424 | Data unavailable |
| University of Southern California CA · Private, nonprofit · 190 graduates measured | $71,664 | $91,873 | Data unavailable |
| San Diego State University CA · Public · 32 graduates measured | $68,720 | $84,280 | Data unavailable |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill NC · Public · 22 graduates measured | $68,161 | $88,174 | Data unavailable |
| Monmouth University NJ · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $67,995 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of San Francisco CA · Private, nonprofit · 24 graduates measured | $67,426 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Florida FL · Public · 193 graduates measured | $66,537 | $86,823 | Data unavailable |
| La Salle University PA · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $65,362 | $63,334 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Doctoral degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regent University VA · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $65,002 | $81,331 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Communication and Media Studies
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public relations managers | $146,910 | +5.7% | Bachelor's degree |
| Fundraising managers | $125,470 | +5.4% | Bachelor's degree |
| Fundraisers | $72,550 | +5.5% | Bachelor's degree |
| Communications teachers, postsecondary | $78,580 | +2.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys | $47,340 | -7.6% | Bachelor's degree |
| News analysts, reporters, and journalists | $62,200 | -5.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Public relations specialists | $74,750 | +1.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Editors | $77,920 | -1.1% | Bachelor's degree |
| Writers and authors | $76,910 | -0.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Media and communication workers, all other | $73,620 | +3.9% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (4)
- 09.0100 Communication, General
- 09.0101 Speech Communication and Rhetoric
- 09.0102 Mass Communication/Media Studies
- 09.0199 Communication and Media Studies, Other