Radio, Television, and Digital Communication: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 09.07. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 1,005 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 | 199 | 2,098 | $28,590 | $33,711 | $11,833 11 programs |
| Associate's degree | 179 | 1,620 | $27,637 | $36,074 | $17,374 2 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 409 | 10,772 | $37,545 | $50,497 | $22,192 133 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 7 | 0 | Data unavailable | $65,116 | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 140 | 3,109 | $65,368 | $75,972 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 15 | 98 | $87,032 | $78,108 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 55 | 116 | $76,353 | Data unavailable | 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 Georgia GA · Public · 94 graduates measured | $54,362 | $73,835 | $15,000 |
| Western Kentucky University KY · Public · 32 graduates measured | $45,645 | Data unavailable | $27,000 |
| Husson University ME · Private, nonprofit · 29 graduates measured | $36,231 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Santa Ana College CA · Public · 27 graduates measured | $33,379 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Carolina School of Broadcasting · Private, for-profit · 25 graduates measured | $29,517 | $39,541 | Data unavailable |
| Illinois Media School IL · Private, for-profit · 314 graduates measured | $27,575 | $35,062 | $11,833 |
| Illinois Media School-Chicago Campus IL · Private, for-profit · 314 graduates measured | $27,575 | $35,062 | $11,833 |
| Ohio Media School-Valley View OH · Private, for-profit · 560 graduates measured | $27,538 | $31,878 | $10,267 |
| Colorado Media School CO · Private, for-profit · 560 graduates measured | $27,538 | $31,878 | $10,267 |
| Ohio Media School-Columbus OH · Private, for-profit · 560 graduates measured | $27,538 | $31,878 | $10,267 |
| Digital Film Academy · Private, for-profit · 29 graduates measured | $22,969 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Ohio Media School-Cincinnati OH · Private, for-profit · 366 graduates measured | $21,464 | $27,726 | $11,403 |
| Miami Media School FL · Private, for-profit · 366 graduates measured | $21,464 | $27,726 | $11,403 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Community College District TX · Public · 16 graduates measured | $35,071 | $37,248 | Data unavailable |
| Western Technical College WI · Public · 20 graduates measured | $33,710 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Connecticut State Community College CT · Public · 23 graduates measured | $29,805 | $37,102 | Data unavailable |
| SUNY Broome Community College NY · Public · 27 graduates measured | $28,857 | $35,516 | Data unavailable |
| Southern Maine Community College ME · Public · 38 graduates measured | $22,993 | $38,045 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester Institute of Technology NY · Private, nonprofit · 51 graduates measured | $65,196 | $91,222 | $27,000 |
| Fordham University NY · Private, nonprofit · 101 graduates measured | $57,292 | $84,366 | $27,000 |
| New York University NY · Private, nonprofit · 170 graduates measured | $54,824 | $77,109 | $18,125 |
| Purdue University Global IN · Public · 59 graduates measured | $54,258 | $51,391 | $36,731 |
| Northwestern University IL · Private, nonprofit · 176 graduates measured | $53,639 | $51,471 | $16,667 |
| Miami University-Hamilton OH · Public · 85 graduates measured | $53,569 | $82,411 | $21,892 |
| Miami University-Middletown OH · Public · 85 graduates measured | $53,569 | $82,411 | $21,892 |
| Miami University-Oxford OH · Public · 85 graduates measured | $53,569 | $82,411 | $21,892 |
| Seattle University WA · Private, nonprofit · 43 graduates measured | $52,133 | $61,021 | $22,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College PA · Public · 215 graduates measured | $49,422 | $66,876 | $23,250 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public · 215 graduates measured | $49,422 | $66,876 | $23,250 |
| Pennsylvania State University-World Campus PA · Public · 215 graduates measured | $49,422 | $66,876 | $23,250 |
| Maryland Institute College of Art MD · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $49,187 | Data unavailable | $25,500 |
| Saint Edward's University TX · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $48,300 | $53,473 | Data unavailable |
| Lebanon Valley College PA · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $48,259 | $63,128 | $26,000 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fordham University NY · Private, nonprofit · 93 graduates measured | $80,765 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus WA · Public · 82 graduates measured | $79,136 | $112,401 | Data unavailable |
| Northwestern University IL · Private, nonprofit · 197 graduates measured | $77,559 | $116,019 | Data unavailable |
| Michigan State University MI · Public · 67 graduates measured | $76,048 | $86,080 | Data unavailable |
| Temple University PA · Public · 59 graduates measured | $74,856 | $118,378 | Data unavailable |
| University of Southern California CA · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $71,773 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center NY · Public · 105 graduates measured | $68,850 | $80,809 | Data unavailable |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion AZ · Public · 305 graduates measured | $67,719 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Arizona State University Digital Immersion AZ · Public · 305 graduates measured | $67,719 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Loyola University Maryland MD · Private, nonprofit · 29 graduates measured | $66,648 | $72,987 | Data unavailable |
| Savannah College of Art and Design GA · Private, nonprofit · 38 graduates measured | $66,143 | $81,814 | Data unavailable |
| New York University NY · Private, nonprofit · 74 graduates measured | $64,672 | $77,975 | Data unavailable |
| Drexel University PA · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $63,516 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| The New School NY · Private, nonprofit · 134 graduates measured | $61,331 | $81,832 | Data unavailable |
| University of North Texas TX · Public · 36 graduates measured | $60,878 | Data unavailable | 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 Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | $141,900 | +4.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Web and digital interface designers | $104,000 | +6.0% | Bachelor's degree |
| Communications teachers, postsecondary | $78,580 | +2.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Producers and directors | $90,360 | +4.0% | Bachelor's 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 |
| Media and communication workers, all other | $73,620 | +3.9% | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Film and video editors | $75,420 | +3.7% | Bachelor's degree |
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 (3)
- 09.0701 Radio and Television
- 09.0702 Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia
- 09.0799 Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Other