Communication Disorders Sciences and Services: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 51.02. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 995 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 | 33 | 235 | $36,978 | $54,143 | $16,882 4 programs |
| Associate's degree | 41 | 224 | $42,657 | $40,082 | Data unavailable |
| Bachelor's degree | 321 | 10,786 | $32,846 | $58,928 | $20,019 215 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 14 | 0 | $45,984 | $56,845 | $20,387 2 programs |
| Master's degree | 338 | 10,636 | $62,913 | $67,030 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 116 | 377 | $82,714 | $88,343 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 80 | 689 | $76,958 | $85,242 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 52 | 303 | $39,186 | $70,138 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Arizona University AZ · Public · 60 graduates measured | $36,992 | $47,223 | $17,640 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana College CA · Public · 28 graduates measured | $54,848 | $45,971 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada State University NV · Public · 23 graduates measured | $57,399 | $57,932 | $23,117 |
| California Baptist University CA · Private, nonprofit · 57 graduates measured | $47,896 | $67,621 | $24,820 |
| CUNY Lehman College NY · Public · 115 graduates measured | $47,181 | $61,761 | $12,200 |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver CO · Public · 17 graduates measured | $47,005 | $46,535 | Data unavailable |
| Stephen F Austin State University TX · Public · 74 graduates measured | $44,935 | $61,476 | $19,500 |
| Baylor University TX · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $44,065 | $63,909 | $20,500 |
| University of Montevallo AL · Public · 17 graduates measured | $43,205 | $49,979 | $16,500 |
| Purdue University Fort Wayne IN · Public · 22 graduates measured | $42,611 | $47,614 | $19,500 |
| Towson University MD · Public · 29 graduates measured | $40,881 | $72,365 | $19,500 |
| Bridgewater State University MA · Public · 39 graduates measured | $38,922 | $50,059 | $27,000 |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion AZ · Public · 140 graduates measured | $38,554 | $53,532 | $25,575 |
| Arizona State University Digital Immersion AZ · Public · 140 graduates measured | $38,554 | $53,532 | $25,575 |
| Wayne State University MI · Public · 18 graduates measured | $38,468 | $58,291 | $15,543 |
| University of Mississippi MS · Public · 36 graduates measured | $38,384 | $56,930 | $22,500 |
| University of Florida FL · Public · 26 graduates measured | $38,332 | $65,370 | $14,100 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Arizona University AZ · Public · 16 graduates measured | $39,486 | Data unavailable | $22,024 |
| Florida State University FL · Public · 23 graduates measured | $30,530 | Data unavailable | $18,750 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Baptist University CA · Private, nonprofit · 34 graduates measured | $88,440 | $97,691 | Data unavailable |
| Chapman University CA · Private, nonprofit · 64 graduates measured | $87,837 | $86,167 | Data unavailable |
| California State University-Los Angeles CA · Public · 31 graduates measured | $85,769 | $101,094 | Data unavailable |
| California State University-East Bay CA · Public · 31 graduates measured | $85,719 | $93,943 | Data unavailable |
| California State University-Long Beach CA · Public · 26 graduates measured | $85,535 | $86,502 | Data unavailable |
| CUNY Brooklyn College NY · Public · 44 graduates measured | $85,088 | $83,379 | Data unavailable |
| San Francisco State University CA · Public · 53 graduates measured | $84,897 | $95,402 | Data unavailable |
| San Diego State University CA · Public · 53 graduates measured | $82,273 | $87,991 | Data unavailable |
| University of the Pacific CA · Private, nonprofit · 51 graduates measured | $81,125 | $95,081 | Data unavailable |
| California State University-Fresno CA · Public · 47 graduates measured | $80,459 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Nevada State University NV · Public · 35 graduates measured | $79,724 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| California State University-Fullerton CA · Public · 21 graduates measured | $79,451 | $90,382 | Data unavailable |
| California State University-San Marcos CA · Public · 33 graduates measured | $79,234 | $88,196 | Data unavailable |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus WA · Public · 21 graduates measured | $79,179 | $85,607 | Data unavailable |
| Loma Linda University CA · Private, nonprofit · 60 graduates measured | $78,826 | $76,969 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific University OR · Private, nonprofit · 37 graduates measured | $98,248 | $103,070 | Data unavailable |
| Central Michigan University MI · Public · 16 graduates measured | $93,006 | $88,310 | Data unavailable |
| Towson University MD · Public · 20 graduates measured | $91,625 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| The University of Texas at Austin TX · Public · 17 graduates measured | $88,788 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Northwestern University IL · Private, nonprofit · 64 graduates measured | $88,691 | $91,009 | Data unavailable |
| University of Florida FL · Public · 17 graduates measured | $88,398 | $87,909 | Data unavailable |
| University of Connecticut CT · Public · 24 graduates measured | $87,183 | $88,326 | Data unavailable |
| University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus CT · Public · 24 graduates measured | $87,183 | $88,326 | Data unavailable |
| University of Connecticut-Avery Point CT · Public · 24 graduates measured | $87,183 | $88,326 | Data unavailable |
| University of Connecticut-Stamford CT · Public · 24 graduates measured | $87,183 | $88,326 | Data unavailable |
| University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus CT · Public · 24 graduates measured | $87,183 | $88,326 | Data unavailable |
| Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions UT · Private, for-profit · 47 graduates measured | $86,150 | $73,874 | Data unavailable |
| Drexel University PA · Private, nonprofit · 61 graduates measured | $85,966 | $89,233 | Data unavailable |
| Rush University IL · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $85,445 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion AZ · Public · 23 graduates measured | $84,566 | $98,843 | 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.
Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of the Pacific CA · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $110,095 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Vanderbilt University TN · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $87,821 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus OH · Public · 24 graduates measured | $84,904 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Indiana University-Bloomington IN · Public · 19 graduates measured | $84,335 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison WI · Public · 16 graduates measured | $81,654 | $96,720 | Data unavailable |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill NC · Public · 17 graduates measured | $80,020 | $87,889 | Data unavailable |
| Washington University in St Louis MO · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $77,638 | $90,497 | Data unavailable |
| Ohio University-Main Campus OH · Public · 17 graduates measured | $71,396 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Oklahoma-Health Sciences Center OK · Public · 41 graduates measured | $68,719 | $77,407 | Data unavailable |
| University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus OK · Public · 41 graduates measured | $68,719 | $77,407 | Data unavailable |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus PA · Public · 57 graduates measured | $63,002 | $78,063 | 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.
Graduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Memphis TN · Public · 27 graduates measured | $60,019 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Albizu University-San Juan PR · Private, nonprofit · 149 graduates measured | $24,459 | $35,887 | 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 Disorders Sciences and Services
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | $107,310 | +17.9% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Speech-language pathologists | $97,870 | +16.6% | Master's degree |
| Audiologists | $95,780 | +11.0% | Doctoral or professional 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 (5)
- 51.0201 Communication Sciences and Disorders, General
- 51.0202 Audiology/Audiologist
- 51.0203 Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
- 51.0204 Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
- 51.0299 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services, Other