Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 09.99. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 153 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 | 13 | 13 | $32,198 | $50,518 | Data unavailable |
| Associate's degree | 13 | 70 | $33,772 | $37,650 | $17,458 1 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 81 | 599 | $40,061 | $55,384 | $23,750 16 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 30 | 382 | $62,891 | $85,444 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 3 | 3 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 12 | 13 | Data unavailable | 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.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg Area Community College PA · Public · 21 graduates measured | $35,135 | $39,729 | $17,458 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State University-Main Campus OH · Public · 33 graduates measured | $49,060 | $54,860 | $10,642 |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities MN · Public · 34 graduates measured | $48,446 | $74,597 | $21,100 |
| Grand Valley State University MI · Public · 40 graduates measured | $46,750 | $57,771 | $26,000 |
| California Lutheran University CA · Private, nonprofit · 45 graduates measured | $45,968 | $68,806 | Data unavailable |
| University of Nebraska at Omaha NE · Public · 75 graduates measured | $44,448 | $58,250 | $17,861 |
| Berry College GA · Private, nonprofit · 31 graduates measured | $39,799 | $50,593 | $14,000 |
| SUNY Buffalo State University NY · Public · 28 graduates measured | $39,345 | $49,500 | $21,750 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks PA · Public · 34 graduates measured | $38,911 | $66,866 | $27,125 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public · 34 graduates measured | $38,911 | $66,866 | $27,125 |
| Pennsylvania State University-World Campus PA · Public · 34 graduates measured | $38,911 | $66,866 | $27,125 |
| Farmingdale State College NY · Public · 65 graduates measured | $38,859 | $62,608 | $21,250 |
| Benedictine College KS · Private, nonprofit · 18 graduates measured | $37,953 | Data unavailable | $23,250 |
| Tennessee Technological University TN · Public · 38 graduates measured | $36,561 | $45,909 | Data unavailable |
| Western Illinois University IL · Public · 31 graduates measured | $35,140 | Data unavailable | $24,513 |
| Howard University DC · Private, nonprofit · 124 graduates measured | $34,816 | $59,909 | $24,250 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gonzaga University WA · Private, nonprofit · 88 graduates measured | $74,747 | $73,912 | Data unavailable |
| New York University NY · Private, nonprofit · 55 graduates measured | $70,838 | $94,135 | Data unavailable |
| West Virginia University WV · Public · 179 graduates measured | $65,094 | $66,125 | Data unavailable |
| Fordham University NY · Private, nonprofit · 31 graduates measured | $58,078 | $66,412 | Data unavailable |
| High Point University NC · Private, nonprofit · 171 graduates measured | $54,603 | 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 Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communications teachers, postsecondary | $78,580 | +2.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Editors | $77,920 | -1.1% | Bachelor's degree |
| Writers and authors | $76,910 | -0.3% | 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 (1)
- 09.9999 Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other