Business/Corporate Communications: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 52.05. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 116 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 | 22 | 104 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Associate's degree | 6 | 14 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Bachelor's degree | 59 | 542 | $50,777 | $65,784 | $27,000 19 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | $17,431 1 programs |
| Master's degree | 20 | 102 | $68,096 | $83,290 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 8 | 64 | 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.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentley University MA · Private, nonprofit · 75 graduates measured | $71,584 | $80,781 | $27,000 |
| Central Michigan University MI · Public · 34 graduates measured | $54,934 | Data unavailable | $31,000 |
| Aquinas College MI · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $53,964 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Marquette University WI · Private, nonprofit · 39 graduates measured | $53,775 | $71,711 | $19,172 |
| Chapman University CA · Private, nonprofit · 105 graduates measured | $53,571 | $76,412 | $19,500 |
| Walsh University OH · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $52,271 | $71,001 | Data unavailable |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College NY · Public · 330 graduates measured | $51,187 | $69,215 | $12,098 |
| National University CA · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $48,011 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Stevenson University MD · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $45,900 | $60,109 | $21,875 |
| University of Wisconsin-River Falls WI · Public · 80 graduates measured | $45,494 | $61,411 | $19,875 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Shenango PA · Public · 100 graduates measured | $39,635 | $55,840 | $27,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre PA · Public · 100 graduates measured | $39,635 | $55,840 | $27,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Scranton PA · Public · 100 graduates measured | $39,635 | $55,840 | $27,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley PA · Public · 100 graduates measured | $39,635 | $55,840 | $27,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- Eberly PA · Public · 100 graduates measured | $39,635 | $55,840 | $27,000 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College NY · Public · 21 graduates measured | $82,249 | $83,481 | 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 Business/Corporate Communications
| 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 |
| Business teachers, postsecondary | $99,080 | +5.9% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Communications teachers, postsecondary | $78,580 | +2.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Public relations specialists | $74,750 | +1.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Editors | $77,920 | -1.1% | Bachelor's degree |
| Technical writers | $90,390 | +0.8% | Bachelor's degree |
| Writers and authors | $76,910 | -0.3% | Bachelor's degree |
| Proofreaders and copy markers | $51,120 | -0.9% | 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)
- 52.0501 Business/Corporate Communications, General
- 52.0502 Grantsmanship
- 52.0599 Business/Corporate Communications, Other